Digicel bats against rampant crime in Jamaica

The Jamaican government, in attempting to control public finances, are considering a plan based on the Irish social partnership model, writes Colm Keena

The taxi on the way into Kingston from the airport took a circuitous route. "There be trouble up that way, mon," the driver informed me as the small battered car hurtled through the ill-lit streets.

Next morning the headlines were all about "up that way", a place called Mountain View Avenue, where two gangs were engaged in a violent dispute.

Passing traffic was not just being caught in the crossfire but was actually being targeted by the gang members.

In Kingston they have what they call garrison communities. These are communities where a "Don" heads a heavily armed gang that runs drug, extortion, prostitution and other rackets, as well as being linked to "benevolent" community work, such as putting the squeeze on local businesses for funds for local schools.

The gangs were initially armed back in the 1960s and early 1970s when there was a sharp divide in Jamaican politics between the People's National Party and the Jamaica Labour Party. Gangs and enclaves were associated with particular parties and social and housing benefits were distributed to people depending on their party allegiances.

When the capitalism versus communism debate was raging in Jamaica, both parties felt they needed to arm their supporters. The existence of armed gangs in communities, associated with one party or the other, has since then been a feature of Kingston life.

In recent weeks, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), which represents the business community, has been vocal in its demand that the government take action. Crime generally is damaging Jamaica's efforts to attract foreign direct investment, and the business community is fed up with having to make extortion payments to murderous gang members.

Recently the prime minister, PJ Patterson, of the People's Party and Opposition leader Bruce Golding of the Labour Party, announced that it had been agreed that members of their parties would declare in writing their agreement not to "knowingly associate with criminals nor accept financial support from them".

A debate is raging about the nexus between the gangs, corrupt policemen and certain politicians. Some say all the fuss over the issue is an indication that Jamaicans have had enough. Others say they've heard it all before.

David Hall, the chief executive of Digicel, says they were warned early on in their time in Jamaica not to pay bribes or extortion demands. "If you give in, you're dead," he says Digicel was told. He said both political parties warned of the dangers.

The key element of the company's infrastructure in Jamaica is its masts.

Two years ago the company was told to pay the equivalent of about US $500 or one of its masts would be burned down. "We told them no. The mast was burned down. It cost us about US $175,000. They came back the next week, looking for money again.

"We told the community guy that we were very upset, that we would rebuild the mast but if it was burned down again it would not be rebuilt. That would mean they would have no coverage."

He said people in the area put pressure on the guy who had burned down the mast, and it has not been touched.

After the most recent general election, in 2002, there was a feeling that Jamaica's public finances were out of control. There was rapid devaluation of the currency and high interest rates. The government, the PSOJ and others started to look at the idea of social partnership.

One of the models they looked at was Ireland.

Denis O'Brien and Digicel flew over former government secretary Pádraig Ó hUiginn, trade unionist Billy Attley and Kieran Mulvey of the Labour Relations Commission, to Jamaica in May 2003, to address a conference there and tell business and political leaders about Ireland's experience of social partnership. Fianna Fáil strategist PJ Mara took part in the panel discussion.

Later again in 2003 O'Brien and Digicel flew a group from Jamaica to Ireland where they met, among others, Bertie Ahern.

A memorandum of understanding on partnership has been drafted and it is being considered by the Jamaican cabinet.

Colin Steele, chairman of the PSOJ's economic policy committee, says a wage restraint agreement put in place already with the unions has helped to stabilise Jamaica's public finances.

"Already the benefits are beginning to show," he says, with the economy being given a better rating by international agencies and the government being able to get access to funds at cheaper rates.

The economy is growing at a slow rate but that is expected now to increase, as is foreign direct investment.

Crime, which tends to be restricted to certain areas in Kingston, is holding things back but Steele is optimistic. Unemployment is still stuck at about 20 per cent but poverty levels are falling and education is improving, he says.

"If we work together, Jamaican society can solve its problems."