Some things that bother me

Sep 16, 2019 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
I have some things that bother me. When I arrived in New York I immediately learnt a new concept called networking. It is how I received my permanent job there. When I returned here I learnt about KSI (Know Somebody Inside.. (not Burnham KSI system) and PSI…you know……baksheesh!!
Up there my Operations Manager also insisted that I understood the concept of total Managerial accountability, when he upbraided my response when I told him ‘a matter was too small for my intervention when I had MOD (Asst Mangers)’.
His trite comment was “Leslie, its your Garage. You must know everything that goes on all the time”.
Almost ten years ago I returned here to enjoy the peace and quiet and possible engage in a small agricultural undertaking on the family ten acre plot of land in Kuru Kururu. I settled in a family home in New Hope EBD.
There are about sixty house lots, one church, a playground and about thirty occupied houses. We have one main gated entrance and exit, and four cul-de-sac streets presently.
We have a mix of retirees and residents with ties to e.g.  London, Canada, USA and local. We are closely knit with a Community Management Committee.
Prior to leaving for the USA I was a licenced firearm holder, issued an official Beretta for almost ten years, turned in before departure. ( I wonder if the fifty pistols lodged are still there?).
Interestingly as a young lad, my father had a shotgun (and shared) licenced at Anna Regina Police.
I myself bought my first air rifle from Bookers (COD to me at Charity Post Office), and moved around with the rifle in my motorcycle. I developed trough several (improved) models, and shot game birds and iguanas
for our cookouts. No licence was required. At my UG National service stint I was trained and handled the SLR.
When I returned I applied to be (re) issued a firearm licence. All the investigation went well, but the COP denied, without explanation, my application. I appealed the decision, and the other COP informed me to appeal to the President in keeping with the law.
I did, but the then the President did not respond. When the change came, I appealed (again) to the new President, who graciously replied saying it was sent to the Minister in charge of Home Affairs for advice. I am still to be advised of the outcome.
In the meanwhile my concerns. I spent several million dollars trying to develop that desolate plot of agricultural  land.
Pumpkins were stolen, fires were deliberately set (Police went in and found evidence), wild animals feasted on the plants, and some persons took my plot to serve as their (free) personal nursery. I virtually kept going through the paces.
On the other hand my London remigrant neighbour, with past army connections here, has spent much more funds developing his farm.
He even constructed a farm house and went through similar experiences….deliberately set fires, wild animals, attacks by other persons. He is made of sterner stuff and is even fighting in the court system.
Significantly his application for firearm licence is going through some interesting requests for personal medical certificate phases!
A friend tells me that Air Rifles now need licence. Another friend tells me that bow and arrows need licence. Do we need licence for sling shots too?  Please tell us all the requirements and pray tell us why, and why you turn down individual applications.
Meanwhile, our community is under attack from other criminal elements. Over the years we had a few home invasions.
Recently cars parked on the main internal roads and in the cul-de-sac were broken into. Last weekend it went a step further where one neighbour was held up with a pistol as she exited her car right in front of her house.
Where is the police patrol?
We know of surveillance camera systems. Several of us have. But we suffer from issues. The main service provider (GTT) does not offer Fibre Optics in this area. The analog service is always buffering. ENetworks through that KSI person supplied fibre optic service.
Their free one meg is useless for the cameras. So the KSI intervened and we were allowed an increase of two more megs at a price of an additional six thousand dollars.
The recording was still not adequate so we appealed. KSI prevailed again, however the total five megs comes with a price of over one hundred thousand dollars.
(Yes … 5  megs (not gigs) cost over US$500.00 monthly. Try that trick anywhere in USA or London and see!)
The last election I was unfortunately in New York and did not vote. If I am to vote this time I would require a declaration and a social contract from the contesting parties to address concerns.
We need a Gun Control Policy that allows approved households at least a shotgun per head. There is enough smart technology to make sure the shotgun is used by the owner only.
We need a control mechanism (PUC?) to allow appropriate coverage and economic pricing for universal Fibre Optic residential service.
We need codified the obligations and expected outcomes that so called remigrants are entitled to on their return. Include the obligation that places like Moneygram should follow in our pension transfer payments. Stop the hassle that now exist.
Somebody please listen up and take decision making responsibility.
Thank you,
L. A. Camacho

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