The Jamaica Star :: Commentary :: Give me dominoes or death!

You know, there are some simple things that can be done to cut down on our spiralling murder rate.

It's not always about the big measures and the showing of force. It's not always about policies and legislation, even though I really don't understand why I don't hear anybody talking about Assistant Commissioner Owen Ellington's proposal to make being a member of a gang a criminal offence, which, I believe, would go a far way into breaking the backs of the more than 100 gangs operating islandwide.

No, it can sometimes be simple little measures that can save a few lives here and there, because as they say ,'one-one cocoa full basket.'

This one that I am about to propose would save between 30 and 50 lives each year. I know it's not much, but it's a start. Face it, 750 murders sounds much better than 800.

How many times have we heard a police report saying that a car with gunmen aboard drove past a bar, shop or house or under a street light where men were playing dominoes and opened fire, killing two or three, sometimes four people?

Just this week, there was an incident in Portmore, St Catherine, when two men were killed. Doing what? Yup! Playing dominoes outside some place where guys walked up and shot them dead. Every year, we have a dozen or so of these incidents, and still, people never seem to learn.

Knocking bones

What will it take for people to understand that playing dominoes in certain places is not such a good idea? I know we love it, but sometimes too much. When I was employed by the Gleaner, there were guys there who, I swear, were employed just to play dominoes. They are always in the sports club knocking bones. No matter how early you got there, they were already there.

Sometimes I would be standing outside the door waiting for the bartender to open up, and as we get inside, we are greeted by the sound of bone on wood. It pays off, I suppose, because every year, The Gleaner makes it to at least the semi-finals of the Business House Dominoes Competition, lending even further to the credence, practice makes perfect.

When I used to live in Montego Bay, there were two things you were certain to see on the sidewalks, besides the seemingly millions of vendors: old men playing draughts and guys playing dominoes.

We are so adept at playing dominoes, we even make an impact at the international level because every time ESPN shows some domino tournament, there is a Jamaican pair sitting around the table. So, it goes without saying: playing dominoes is in our blood. But if we have to play, do we have to play it outdoors? After all, it is an indoors game, isn't it?

Do those who play ever consider playing in a back room, under a cellar, on top of a building, at the back of a building, or out on a boat? How about in your living room? Somewhere, anywhere where people can't just walk up or drive up and shoot you like they would fish in a barrel.

Health hazard

The thing is, you can't just suggest to people in this country that playing dominoes outside these places can be dangerous to your health. They should probably put that on the domino packs they make here. So, instead of asking people, we should just write it into law - 'No dominoes shall be played outside places of business where it is likely you could be shot to death.' Of course, there would be the necessary clauses like: "Except in instances where the games would be played in such areas that would negate the possibility of these occurrences, like playing up in the Blue Mountains, in the Cockpit Country or while at sea on a Caribbean cruise."

Until that is done, or some other measure is implemented that can effectively minimise the possibility of these domino-drive or walk-by shootings, nobody can get me to play in those places. If somebody asks, I'll simply tell them I'll pass.