Dear Editor,

Lawlessness is the product of the Nelson's eye syndrome the police, in particular, have cultivated. They are not the only managers of the state who have been guilty. It finds expression in public service corruption in the same way that the minibus problems were allowed to go unchecked. Cars licensed for private use have for years been openly plying for hire but nothing was done and it is an open secret that police officers at all levels, directly or indirectly, have an interest in the transportation and the liquor businesses, among others.

Take the recent conversion of the road immediately south of the junction at Regent and Camp streets into a Hire Car Park. It has become a nightmare for drivers using Camp street in that vicinity. Private and hire cars use this area to solicit passengers at all hours of the day. These cars park east to west on both sides of Camp street in close proximity to Regent street, effectively creating a bottleneck by narrowing the roadway available for vehicular traffic. Whenever these vehicles get a fare they reverse across Camp street, holding up traffic, regardless of any resultant congestion. On occasions, these cars even make U-turns right there and vehicular traffic is unduly disrupted. The police must have given this lawlessness their blessing because I have seen traffic ranks within feet of these manoeuvres.

I suspect that some of the Nelsons in our society may be getting some of the proceeds. Years ago, it used to be called "Protection Money" and this is only one isolated example.