UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND EDUCATION Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy L28J – Introduction to the Structure and Usage of Jamaican Creole Semester II – 2013-2014 Name: Amisha George, Germaine Bryan ID#: 620052748, 620052740 Assignment: Written presentation (Final Draft) Topic: The Criminal Justice (Suppression of criminal organisations) Act 2013 Aim: To Discuss the relevance of the Criminal Justice Act in its pursuit to suppress and disrupt criminal organisations in Jamaica. Date: March 26, 2014 Teacher: Ms Kadian Walters
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UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND EDUCATION
Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy
L28J – Introduction to the Structure and Usage of Jamaican Creole
Semester II – 2013-2014
Name: Amisha George, Germaine Bryan
ID#: 620052748, 620052740
Assignment: Written presentation (Final Draft)
Topic: The Criminal Justice (Suppression of criminal organisations) Act 2013
Aim: To Discuss the relevance of the Criminal Justice Act in its pursuit to suppress and disrupt
criminal organisations in Jamaica.
Date: March 26, 2014
Teacher: Ms Kadian Walters
Introduction
The Criminal Justice Act was tabled in parliament in June 2013, by current Minister of
National Security, the honourable Peter Bunting. It serves to be a weapon to aid in the State’s
fight against Crime in Jamaican society. Specifically, its purpose is to suppress and disrupt the
formation of criminal organizations in Jamaica.
The purpose of this assignment is to translate the interpretation of this document in the
Jamaican Language. The goal in doing this is to make it available to the majority of Jamaicans in
a form most understood by them. The audience therefore, are all speakers and users of the
Jamaican language in the society.
‘Mi wi go fi dem eniwe, Gaza wi go fi dem eniwe’, were the words of popular dancehall
artiste Adidjah Palmer, more notoriously known as Vybz Kartel. From the outlook, these lyrics
could imply an intention to start or bring conflict to another party in a criminal manner. It is
lyrics like this for example, that can influence people outside of the entertainment domain to
resort to violence as a means of resolving civil disputes. Consequently, the Criminal Justice Act
was conceptualised in 2013 by the Minister of National Security, Peter Bunting in response to
this and other sources of motivation for the people to incite violence in the Jamaican Society.
However, the Act’s primary purpose, in a most holistic sense, is to seek to create offences for the
disruption and suppression of criminal organisations in order to restore a sense of security in the
Jamaican society and strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies to deal with crime
effectively. This essay seeks to examine and summarise the Act in an attempt to provide an
understanding of its purpose with respect to the suppression of criminal organisations. It will
then narrow its perspective to take a closer look on Section 15 of the Act and how it can affect
the Dancehall industry.
The Criminal Justice Act, otherwise known as the Anti-Gang Bill, was tabled in parliament
on July 2013 by Minister of National Security, Peter Bunting. It is a 33 page document which
outlines the activities that are deemed criminal in Jamaica, and the penalties attached to these
activities. Part I of the Act is the preliminary aspect of the Act, part II speaks to the offences for
the disruption and suppression of criminal organisations and part III addresses general tenets of
the bill and instructions of the Minister. Following these parts is the first schedule, which
highlights the serious offences; the second schedule outlines the penalties attached to these
offences respectively and the third schedule highlights the amendment to enactments of the bill.
The memorandum of objects and reasoning concludes the Criminal Justice Act.
A criminal organisation is defined as any gang, group, alliance, network, combination or
similar arrangement among three or more persons whether formally or informally affiliated or
organised and whether or not operating through one or more bodies (corporate or other
associations). The Criminal Justice Act was drafted to make provisions for the disruption and
suppression of criminal organisations where the activities of these organisations present a danger
to public order, public safety and the economic stability of Jamaica. It is to be a supplement
where the existing laws of Jamaica fail to adequately disrupt, suppress or otherwise deal with
organised crime and the activities of criminal organisations effectively.
It is necessary in targeting the leaders of criminal organisations and criminalises the
management of enterprises that are involved in criminal activities. The pervasive presence of
these organisations in many communities is harmful to the well-being of these communities and
therefore creates a necessity to criminalise any participation in and promotion of the activities of
criminal organisations. The Act is born out of a desire to restore a sense of security in the
Jamaican society and strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies to deal with crime
effectively.
Criminal organisations are characterised as having a purpose to commit one or more serious
offences and are normally in relation to persons who are a part thereof or participate therein
unlawful activities in order to obtain power; or issue threats or engage in conduct to promote fear
and or to intimidate or exert power and influence in communities. Furthermore, the bill seeks to
prohibit the establishment of a criminal organisation; taking part in a criminal organisation; to
exercise any form of leadership functions at any level of the organisational structure of a
criminal organisation; to benefit from a criminal organisation; to conceal, dispose of or share in
any proceeds of criminal activity; knowingly aiding a criminal organisation to commit a serious
offence; the harbouring of a participant in a criminal organisation; tampering with evidence as it
relates to criminal organisations or activities; punitive action against a person who has left a
criminal organisation and lastly the use of signs, symbols, graffiti or songs to promote or
facilitate the criminal activities of criminal organisations. The fines for such offences can range
from five to thirty years in prison.
Jamaican citizens overseas are not immune to judgement from this act. In fact, A circuit court
is given jurisdiction over criminal activity carried out by Jamaicans overseas which, had the
criminal activity been carried out in Jamaica, would have been offences under this Act. A review
of the provisions of the proposed Criminal Justice Act is scheduled to be undertaken no later than
5 years after its commencement. The Act seeks further to effect consequential amendments to the
Constabulary Force Act, the Criminal Justice (administration) Act, the Defence Act, the Finger
Prints Act, the Parole Act and the Unlawful Possession of Property Act.
The introduction of the Criminal Justice Act (Anti-Gang Bill) has caused a great deal of
discontent among members of the music industry. Particularly, those who belong to the cohort of
Dancehall practitioners are of the view that the bill is an attack by the government to suppress
Dancehall culture. They validate their opinions by using section 15 of the bill, which seeks to
prohibit the use of signs, symbols, graffiti or songs to promote or facilitate the criminal activities
of a criminal organisation. In a June 26, 2013 article by the Gleaner Company, Patrick ‘Curly
Lox’ Gaynor of the Dancehall duo Twins of Twins was asked to express his views on the matter.
When asked, this was Gaynor’s reaction, ‘They just keep going and going against the music. The
government should clean up their governing body, the dirty politics and how they run this
country.’ He went further to insist that, ‘They should clean up the 'wild-wild west' attitude they
instilled in the people through political warfare and stop using the music as a scapegoat, because
that is what is going on,’. Gaynor is of the view that the music is not the reason for high crime
rates in Jamaica, but rather a failure of the Jamaican government to adequately control the
problem. Gaynor believes that music plays an important role as a reflector of Jamaican society,
and thinks that if Bunting really wants to curb the crime rate, he should consider collaborating
with his fellow ministers to clean up the society they damaged. Gaynor says that, ‘The music can
only be cleaned if society is clean. To me, this is mostly a cultural difference between the lower
class and upper class, and at present, many Jamaicans are not seen as being important if they
don't have the right last name.’
All things considered, The Criminal Justice Act is definitely relevant if Jamaica is to move
towards becoming the peaceful nation it once was. If it is to achieve its Vision 2030 goal of
being the best place to live and raise a family, then measures like this Act and more legislation
tailored towards suppressing criminal organisations need to be drafted to curtail this monster
called crime. While it will be a hindrance to some members of the Dancehall community, it is a
price that we as a nation need to pay if we are to save the next generation of leaders from the
destructive path that these same members of the Dancehall fraternity encourage with their music.
Dancehall music is a multifaceted genre and should not be limited to just violent music. There
are artistes, like an Agent Sasco or I-Octane to name a few, who have been able to make a decent
living in the industry without lining their music with criminal intentions. If it is possible for
them, then it is possible for all.
References
Bunting, P. (2013).The Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organisations) Act. Retrieved from http://www.japarliament.gov.jm/attachments/339_339_The%20Criminal%20Justice%20(
Wan aatis we niem Adidjah Paama ar Vaibz Kaatel did se, ‘Mi wi go fi dem eniwe, Gaaza
wi go fi dem eniwe’.A liriks laik dem de a tiich yu se badnis fi gwaan if a man toch yu botn. A
dem siem liriks ya a tel aadineri piipl we a nat iivn aatis fi ton tu badman ting wen dem an piipl
kech op. A myuuzik laik dem ya an som ada wan we stie siem wie we kaaz Minista a Nashinal
Sikioriti, Piita Bontin fi mek di Kriminal Jostis Ak ina 2013. Di mien yuus a di Ak a fi fain wie fi
bring dong di gyang dem so dat di piipl dem ina sosaieti kyan get likl muor piis an di poliis dem
kyan diil wid di kraim beta. Da piepa ya a go tel yo bou di Ak so dat yu kyan nuo ou it a chrai
tap di gyang dem fram tek uova. It a go luk pan Paat 15 tu an ou it a go chobl Daansaal.
Di Kriminal Jostis Ak, ar we piipl laik fi kaal di Anti Gyang Bil (wan bil fi tap di gyang dem
fram du bad tings), did mek ina Julai 2013 bai Minista a Nashinal Sikioriti, Piita Bontin. It av 33
piaj we taak bout aal a di ting dem we badman du ina Jamieka an ou dem sopuos fi get ponish fi
dem ting ya. It av chrii paat: 1) Wan we staat di andastandin adi Ak, 2) wan we taak bout di
ponishment dem an 3) di laas paat taak bout di Ak ina jenaral. Afta dem paat ya yu av wan paat
we mek wi nuo bout di Kraim dem, wan sekan paat we taak bout di biga ponishment dem an di
tod paat taak bout di adishan dem tu di Ak. Di laas paat adi Ak adi paat we riizn out evriting.
Wan Gyang a wan gruup a chrii ar muor piipl we nuo iich ada an kom tugeda fi badman
ting. Di Ak did mek fi bring dong di gyang dem kaaz di ting dem we dem a du a ort di poblik an
di ekanami ina Jamieka. It sopuos to elp di laa dem if dem kyaahn bring dong Kraim and di
badman dem beta.
Di poliis dem niid it fi fain di don dem fi di gyang dem an lak op di difrant shap dem we lingk
wid di gyang dem. Si kaaz di gyang dem nof ina di difrant plies dem it a tap di piis an das wai wi
niid fi lak op enibadi we ina ar sopout di gyang ting. Di Ak did mek fi fain wie fi bring bak piis
ina Jamieka an so dat di poliis dem kyan diil wid di kraim beta.
Wan gyang a eni gruup we do wan ar muor bad tings an dem lingk wid piipl we du ar inna
bad tings jos fi get powa; ar do tingz fi mek piipl fried ina dem plies. Di Ak a chrai tap eni gyang
fram staat, enibadi we a chrai de ina gyang, enibadi we a chrai ron tingz ina gyang, enibadi we a
chrai benifit fram gyang; enibadi we a chrai aid moni we com fram gyang; enibadi we a elp
gyang fi do tingz; enibadi we a aid piipl we lingk ina gyang; enibadi we a miks-op miks-op wid
di ting dem we supous to elp di poliis kech kriminal; enibadi we ponish piipl uu lef dem gyang
an eni yuus a sain, sang we a supuot ar eni plies we av jraain pan waal fi elp di gyang dem du
bad tings. Enibadi we do eni a dem ting ya a go get eniwe fram 5 to 30 ier ina jiel.
Di Ak a fi di Jamiekan dem a farin to. Di Kuot out ya av di powa fi ponish di Jamiekan dem
a farin kaaz if di siem kraim dem a do a farin did do out ya, dem uda stil get ponish. Dem a plan
fi lok ova di Ak ina di neks 5 ier. Di Ak supuos to elp chienj som oda Ak ina di Laa to. Nof piipl
ina myuuzik no laik di Ak. Nof adi Daansaal aatis dem tingk di govament mek di Ak fi bring
dong Daansaal kulcha. Dem a se paat 15 adi Ak a chrai tap enibadi we yuus sain, sang we a
supuot ar eni plies we av jraain pan waal fi elp di gyang dem do bad tingz. Wan aatikl ina di
piepa pan juun 26, 2013 wid Patrik Giena fram twinz a twinz dida taak bout di Ak. Im did a se
ou ‘Dem jos a fait di myuuzik. Di govament niid fi kliin op demself an di doti palitiks an ou dem
ron di konchri’. Im gwaan fi se ou, ‘ Dem fi kliin op dem koubwai bievia we dem put ina piipl
wid dem waar ina palitiks an tap bliem myuuzik kaaz a dat a gwaan.’ Im a se ano myuuzik a
kaaz so moch kraim ina Jamieka, bot a di govament uu kyaahn kanchruol di badman dem. Im
tingk se myuuzik adi bes wie fi shuo waa gwaan ina Jamieka an ou Buntin fi lingk op wid im oda
minista dem fi fiks di sosaieti dem mash up ina di fors plies if dem waa bring dong kraim. Im a
se, ‘Di myuuzik kyan ongl kliin if di sosaieti kliin tu. Yu si kaaz is a kulcharal ting we optoun de
op de su, and dongtoun de dong de su, a it a mash op di kuntri. Fram a Jamiekan nu av di rait laas
niem, im no miin notn’.
Di Kriminal Jostis Ak adi bes ting if Jamieka waa piis agen. If it ago do we it se it waa do
ina vizhan 2030 fi bi di bes plies fi liv an bring op a famili, den muor Ak laik dem ya need fi mek
fi bring dong di gyang dem an kraim. Iivn duo it a bada di aatis dem ina Daansaal, is a ting di
konchri niid fi du fi siev wi yong piipl fram mash op demselv wid di kain a myuuzik dem aatis
ya ina Daansaal a mek. Daansaal ful op a to moch way fi mek myuuzik fi ongl a mek di kain we
supout kraim. If aatis laik iegen Sasko an Ai-aktien a mek moni widout afi put gyang liriks ina
dem sang, den ada aatis can dwiit to.
Translation Survey
Please read the text aloud and answer the questions that follow.
Wan aatis we niem Adidjah Paama ar Vaibz Kaatel did se, ‘Mi wi go fi dem eniwe, Gaaza
wi go fi dem eniwe’.A liriks laik dem de a tiich yu se badnis fi gwaan if a man toch yu botn.
A dem siem liriks ya a tel aadineri piipl we a nat iivn aatis fi ton tu badman ting wen dem
an piipl kech op. A myuuzik laik dem ya an som ada wan we stie siem wie we kaaz Minista
a Nashinal Sikioriti, Piita Bontin fi mek di Kriminal Jostis Ak ina 2013. Di mien yuus a di
Ak a fi fain wie fi bring dong di gyang dem so dat di piipl dem ina sosaieti kyan get likl
muor piis an di poliis dem kyan diil wid di kraim beta. Da piepa ya a go tel yo bou di Ak so
dat yu kyan nuo ou it a chrai tap di gyang dem fram tek uova. It a go luk pan Paat 15 tu an
ou it a go chobl Daansaal.
Please select the appropriate answer(s):
1. What is your age range? a) 15-25
b) 25-35
c) 35-45 d) 45-55
2. What is your gender?
a) Male
b) Female
3. What is your highest level of education attained?
a) Primary b) Secondary
c) Tertiary d) Other
4. What language(s) do you speak mostly?
a) English alone b) Jamaican Patwa alone
c) Both
d) More English, Less Patwa e) More Patwa, Less English
5. On a scale of 1 to 5 with: 1-very easy; 2- easy; 3- ok; 4-hard; 5-very hard. How do you rank the passage in terms of difficulty? Select the number which applies to you.
a) 1
b) 2 c) 3
d) 4 e) 5
6. What did you find most difficult about the passage?
a) Spelling
b) Sentence Structure c) Pronunciation
d) Interpretation
7. What was the passage about? a) Vybz Kartel’s Lyrics and its impact on Jamaican society
b) Minister of Security Peter Bunting making Legislation to ban Dancehall music in the
Ghetto c) Music is a reflection of the happenings of Jamaican society
d) The Criminal Justice Act will be used to suppress criminal organizations and how
section 15 of the Act is a hindrance to the Dancehall industry. e) Other________________________________________________________________