Dear Editor,
I have noticed that the Vice President and Minister of Public Security has been quoted in the media as saying that he will be relaxing the drop-dead 2 am curfew on party goers for some of the jubliee events.
The two compelling reasons which were given for the curfew were that it was the law and that it would assist in the prevention and reduction of crime. The public has been regaled by our security forces with statistics showing an encouraging reduction in crime. Hence, clearly the 2 am curfew must have been a contributing factor, as it was one of crime-fighting measures which the government implemented.
Since the 2 am curfew has been working as a crime-fighting strategy, why would we want to subject our celebrants (overseas visitors and residents) at jubilee celebrations to possible crime by going beyond the 2 am curfew? Our hard-working security forces would all be stretched too thin during these events – they have to secure celebrants as well as our enlarged list of vice presidents and ministers. Thus the risk of criminal activity against the public could increase.
Secondly, even if our esteemed Vice President would be relaxing the curfew, would he not be asking people to break the law which he has sworn to uphold?
If the curfew has not contributed to the decrease in criminal activity it should be eliminated, not for selected events and companies, but across the board. If it is causing less criminal activity then there should be no discretion and it should apply across the board regardless.
If the Vice President wants to relax it, then we should not break the extant law, but be law abiding and bring in sunset legislation to relax it till the end of the jubliee celebrations.
No Minister should have discretion to break the law.
Yours faithfully,
Manzoor Nadir
