KINGSTON – Former Jamaica Prime Minister P.J. Patterson says the brutal murder of veteran court journalist Barbara Gayle is a “wake-up call” for the country, and it underscores the urgent need for the nation to re-examine its values and “prioritise those that are life-sustaining”.
In a statement, the elder statesman remembered Gayle as “gentle, modest and conscientious” and noted that “as a legal scribe, she understood the essence of the evidence and complex points of law that eventually made her a reporter of the highest order”.
Patterson called for a “decisive change in the culture”, arguing that “anything less will be like recurring decimals which perpetuate our own individual vulnerability to criminal extinction”.
“Anger and greed must give way to caring and tolerance at every level,” he said. “The solution to the national dilemma has to begin with acknowledging the sacredness of life – the belief that one’s own life is of intrinsic value. That necessitates valuing and treating others with respect.”
Patterson suggested that overemphasis on materialism is leading Jamaicans to a neglect of their social and moral fabric.
“It is past time for Jamaica to reclaim its values and promote the attitudinal changes which emphasise the importance of respect for human life, empathy, civility and kindness,” he said.
“The brutal murder of Barbara Gayle is a wake-up call for Jamaica to take action and promote a culture of love, compassion, and shared humanity.”
Gayle’s body was found at her Caymanas Country Club Estate home in St Catherine last week Tuesday. She was stabbed multiple times. The main suspect in the killing remains in police custody.
(CMC)
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