Having heard the alarm go off, one of my neighbours, who lives some 100m from my place, called me to check if I was home. Hardly had I the time to tell him I was an hour’s drive away from home, that he hung up the phone and checked on my property. He had a look from outside, as the house is well fenced and the gate closed and locked. Then he rang me back to say he did not find any sign of breakage.

I called my next door neighbour to double check but he did not seem to be at home either. When I reached my place, I found some bunches of coconut lying on the grass and knew someone dared to brave the fence on a sunny Saturday afternoon to get into my yard. I rushed into the house and was relieved to find it had not been burgled.

I suppose the culprits tried to open the window and, when the alarm went off, they flew away leaving the coconuts behind. Whilst I should consider myself lucky for not having been robbed, I still do not conceive how, fuelled by wrong motives, people dare force their way into your property.

I might be a dreamer but I am convinced that criminality, especially robbery, is not an hopeless incurable disease. There are ways to tackle it so far we seek the causes and administer the right treatment.

Preventive measures like neighbourhood watch programmes, similar to the one set up in our street at Nouvelle-Ville, can prove very helpful. I would not have been contacted, had I not shared my phone number with my neighbour, nor would he have checked on my house, had I not been cordial to him. I, furthermore, have no doubts my next-door neighbour would have promptly intervened had he been at home at the time people were getting into my yard. That is why it is always important to develop some basic safety principles with your neighbour. Sharing phone numbers and informing each other about each other’s whereabouts are, besides securing one’s house, some invaluable safety backups.

The drug problem might well be closely linked to robbery. Some fruits do not make millionaires out of robbers who most probably are junkies looking forward for a fast rebate sale to cater for a quick fix or two. Therefore I believe there is a need for even more aggressive anti-drug campaigns. However, on an individual level, it is very important to talk about the dangers of drug abuse at home and among friends. It would also be desirable if schools and medias could regularly stage talks and debates around narcotics.

Laws, I humbly believe, should be tougher or, if they are so already, people should be made aware of it. Even more regular police patrols might be an effective deterrent to crime.

By the way, completing the construction of Camp-Levieux police station, which started before the last elections, will definitely help in improving the situation in the area. Houses are growing like mushrooms while the much-awaited building seems to be lagging behind, although from the outside it looks almost ready.

Poverty can open a gate onto crime, although it cannot be taken as an excuse. We should never stop fighting poverty at all levels. For instance, at an individual level, it is praiseworthy to support NGOs, which work hard to help address this human tragedy and its collateral consequences. A constructive New Year gift to the poor of your country can be a standing order in favour of one these NGOs. Besides contributing to make people happy, a financial support to NGOs is synonym to improvement of society.

Opportunity is one of crime triggering conditions. During this period of festivity, being even more careful can prove very helpful. It might well take as little as some responsibility and solidarity to fight criminality.

<B>Alain JEANNOT</B>