EDITORIAL - Listen to Dr Gayle and scrap the CDF

DR HERBERT Gayle is a social anthro-pologist at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies, whose research into understanding gangs in Jamaica has won him respect globally.

So when Dr Gayle analyses the structure of gangs here, the relationship between gangs and politics and what is required to lessen Jamaica's problem of violent criminality, this newspaper pays attention. We believe that the wider society and policymakers should pay attention too.

Last week at a forum hosted by this news-paper, Dr Gayle argued that among the necessary undertakings in breaking the nexus between criminality and politics, as part of the erosion of gangs, must be the strengthening of the legitimacy of the Jamaican state and returning to the core of government and governance. Among his recommendations in this process is one this newspaper has long made which, unfortunately, is not only resisted, but is one of the few subjects on which there is consensus across the political divide.

Cut access to funds

"First of all, we must remove all monies that members of parliament (MPs) receive from the state, which I assure you are used in mobilisation and negotiations," Dr Gayle said.

In other words, Prime Minister Bruce Golding should immediately shut down the so-called Constituency Development Fund (CDF), the $1.2-billion pork trough for which the scramble for a $300-million topping-up at Budget time contributed to Finance Minister Audley Shaw's hasty adjustment of his proposed expenditure shortly after the numbers were tabled.

Under the CDF, each MP has access to a $20-million chest of taxpayers' money - Mr Golding hoped it would be more - from which he or she can address some of the immediate needs of his or her constituents. Like the case of its predecessor, the Social and Economic Support Fund, politicians defend the CDF and similar schemes on the basis that they are the first point of contact with constituents, particularly the poor ones, understand their needs and are in a position to quickly dispense benefits.

Political economy of violence

This newspaper insists, though, that progammes like the CDF are popular with MPs because of their ability to share out even only thin slivers of pork, maintain a paternalistic relationship between themselves and their constituents and reinforce the politics of clientelism.

But, as Dr Gayle pointed out, its effect is even worse with regard to the nexus among gangs, crime and politics. He said: "It creates a relationship between the don and the people, and the politician ... instead of central government and the people - the kind of country in which persons do not relate to Government but to people on the ground. (This) provides you with a political economy of violence."

Indeed, Dr Gayle said Jamaica is unique among the countries where he has studied gangs in that gang leaders will list themselves after politicians in the organisational hierarchy. At the most benign, the politicians turn a blind eye to the illegal activities of gangs even as they empower them through broader relations.

In other countries, there are state agencies to manage social welfare. We are wrong to assume that Jamaica has to be different, or as Dr Gayle said, we cannot maintain our house on a "foundation of termites".

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