<B>By Pauline ETIENNE</B>

When something goes wrong in an institution, the first person in the accused box is its head. It might appear simplistic and even unfair to some but, as the one heading an institution, a company or even a country, he should be held responsible for everything that goes wrong ? or right if he is lucky enough. He/she must give proper explanation to justify actions taken or guide the people below to achieve success.

But then, what happens when he?s not there? What happens is simply what you can see throughout the country at the moment. Just to give you an insight, there have been three serious assaults ? including two deaths ? on people since last weekend. Without even mentioning the several robberies and ?less serious? incidents that newspapers have been echoing since the beginning of the year (we should not even go as far as last year).

And yes, unfair as it may seem, the Commissioner of Police should be the one to explain why there have been so many problems with law and order recently. But, in a reaction in the press, CP Ramanooj Gopalsingh only said that the police have the situation in hand after the incidents in Plaine-Verte. It might well have been the case for this specific incident but what happens of all the other problems related to the law and order? The CP has been quite transparent since his appointment. If his apparent absence may have been linked to the ?over-presence? of late Superintendent Prem Raddhoa at one time, it is obviously no longer the case. The perception is that Ramanooj Gopalsingh is not really present at a time when his staff more than ever feel the need to have someone strong and determined to guide them.

The problem is that, like any other human beings, members of the police force need to feel there is someone there to motivate them and put pressure so that they can go beyond their own limits. One of the solutions might well be to have one person dedicated to the police force ? and above the CP. The appointment of a Home Office minister would force the government to review the police budget and ensure that there is proper follow-up in this sector.

For the time being, this ministry is under the aegis of the Prime minister?s Office. We understand very well that the PM has only a pair of hands. He has so many bodies and issues to tackle that he can?t be fully dedicated to this particular issue. However, the issue of law and order is too important to be neglected.