THE EDITOR, Sir:

I convey this concern to the Ministry of Health and to the relevant authority. Time and time again I see so-called mad people walking the streets with cutting implements in their hands. I heard that it is illegal to hurt an insane person, but what if you hurt that person based on a self-defence crisis? I think that section of the law should change, because a member of the public would not just hurt an insane person like that without a cause.

Time and time again, I see, especially the insane males, walking around with machetes and knives and even broken bottles. Quite recently I saw one with three cutlasses in hand. Whenever the police are on patrol and see these so-called mad men with implements like these, can they stop and disarm them instead of driving past them? If they should see a member of the public with even one cutting implement, they would stop and apprehend that individual. They are employed by the Government to serve and protect, so I think they (police officers) should, at times, try and protect, don't wait until something happens then you serve.

Just two weeks ago I had saw an insane man run down a lady standing at a bus stop on Molynes Road, St. Andrew. As he ran down the woman his speech was, "Weh yuh a look pan me fah woman?" Some of these men and women always seem to abuse women mostly. There is another occasion that I had saw a mad man spit on a Chinese man in Cross Roads, at the stoplight in front of the post office, because he asked the man for money and did not get any.

These mad people should be taken off the streets because, at times, when they beg and their needs are not met, they want to abuse the public. I would like some arrangement made to rid them off the streets islandwide and get them housed in some institution.

I am, etc.,

Mark Bell

Photographer

Harbour Drive

Kingston 17