We are back in the world of unreality again. Last Tuesday Dr Luncheon told representatives of the media that the administration would be taking the initiative to involve civil society and the international community in the rejection of the "anti-police sentiments of the PNC/R and sections of the media and call for this behaviour to be recognized as terroristic."

Somewhere along the line since the escape of the five bandits on February 23, common sense has got buried under a mountain of political twaddle. The issue of the capture of the bandits is not in essence a political one, but it is fast becoming entwined in other matters giving it a political patina. The problem has its origins with the Government because they simply will not entertain any criticism of the police, however rational. And they particularly will not entertain any criticism of the Target Special Squad (TSS). Such criticism, they say, proves that the critic is 'anti-police,' a logical leap which for all its enormity appears to cause them no unease whatsoever.

The real politicization process began when a squad of 'Black Clothes' police went into Buxton and shot Mr Shaka Blair. It had all the hallmarks of an extra-judicial killing, but the Government went into immediate laager mode, railing against those who would pre-judge the police when there had been no proper investigation. It might be remarked en passant that thorough investigations into allegations of extra-judicial killing by the police at any time are almost as rare as dodo's eggs, and inquests are held but infrequently.

This case, however, should have been a difficult one for the Government to duck as the prima facie evidence against the police was good. There was quality eye-witness testimony, and following the autopsy it was revealed that no powder residue had been found on Mr Blair's fingers, a silent but powerful contradiction of the TSS assertion that they had been fired on by the victim first. There were other things too relating to the killing which were disturbing, but the administration was spared the necessity of confronting the reality by the fact that the PNC/R decided to take to the streets to pressure them on the issue. This allowed the Government to relapse into political mode and concentrate on the consequences of protest, rather than its causes.

Furthermore, the marches apparently provided a vehicle for agents provocateurs to preach violence against the police among sections of the crowd. Perhaps it is this abomination to which Dr Luncheon

is referring, but somewhere along the line he has his categories confused, equating valid criticism of police performance with outright incitement to commit criminal acts.

We are now paddling in dangerous waters again, and quite clearly both the major parties need to step back, and take stock. As stated above the problem in its present phase began with the killing of Mr Shaka Blair, and given the evidence, it is about time that the Government did set up a commission of inquiry into the shooting. If it doesn't do that, not only will it open itself to charges of hypocrisy and lack of good faith, but ironically, it will undermine the position of the police force even further. The administration cannot accuse others of "terroristic" behaviour when it is not prepared to investigate allegations of some substance involving such behaviour on the part of the police. If, as it insists, the TSS was innocent in the case of Mr Blair, it should have nothing to fear from an inquiry.

Furthermore, if the Government has sufficient evidence of anyone - in the media or otherwise - inciting people to commit violence against the police, they should be arrested, charged, and placed before the courts. Stop all the pussyfooting and the vague talk labelling all critics indiscriminately as 'terroristic'; act in genuine cases of criminal behaviour.

In addition, those in office should recognize that they cannot shield the police from criticism, because the police (and the Minister of Home Affairs, it might be added) have failed. What other conclusion can one come to after seven-and-a-half weeks of bandits rampaging through the city and its environs and the total inability of law enforcement to apprehend them? It is patently obvious from recent events that the police need equipment to do their job properly, they need training in modern policing methods, and they need a new philosophy and approach to policing, and it cannot be 'terroristic' behaviour or put the police at risk to say so.

And as for the PNC/R, it has to stop the marching altogether. It has distanced itself from the disruptive elements at the Buxton funeral and elsewhere, but that is not good enough. If it cannot control the criminal elements which attach themselves to these protests by putting on sufficient marshals to ensure absolute discipline, then it has to stop the protests. If it persists in marching, and the criminal elements continue to operate under cover of these marches, then it must take responsibility for those elements. The Shaka Blair case is best fought through the courts and through referral to international agencies, while reining in the 'Black Clothes' police is also best achieved by taking specific cases to court, by sending evidence to international agencies, and most of all, by achieving a common front with various organizations in civil society to pressure the Government.

Above all, it must explain to its supporters - in Buxton in particular - that violent responses are counter-productive, and that justice in this instance is best achieved by more patient methods; there simply are no short cuts.

As for the police, they have the difficult task of restoring morale in their ranks, and restoring the confidence of the public, particularly in some of the villages along the East Coast. As a start, senior officers of the force should seek discussions with the community leaders of Buxton, to see how they could go about lowering tensions. And Acting Commissioner McDonald should summon Superintendent Merai and instruct him that what is required from his squad is sound police work, not cowboy tactics.

What every decent citizen wants is an effective police force with good esprit de corps. Dr Luncheon should recognize that closing his eyes to the shortcomings of the force is doing it the greatest disservice possible, because then it will never improve.