Edward SeagaPrime Minister, Commissioner of Police, Ladies and Gentlemen:
May I say what a great pleasure and privilege it is to be at this Police Academy today. May I thank you for this wonderful reception, for the lovely singing and music, both by the choirs and also by the band—it was a lovely reception, just in feeling with the warmth of the day and the warmth of the welcome—but I want above all to pay tribute to two things:
First, to the young people who have done this remarkable mural, all voluntarily, to depict the work of the police in the island of Jamaica. They have done it all in three months. I think it is a remarkable tribute to the work of the police and also a remarkable tribute to the work of the artists who painted it. They have done it because they too wanted to express the faith and trust of their countrymen in the work of the police and the debt of gratitude which we owe to all of those who take on this absolutely vital work in our community. Without the work of the police, there would be no order, there would be no liberty, there would be no safety either day or night, there would be no democracy. [end p1]
We would like to say ‘thank you’. Your work is not only vital—it requires an increasing degree of skill. The equipment gets ever more complicated and you have to be absolutely on top of that, but perhaps it is in the area of human relations where you need the most skill of all: how to go into a situation, size it up, keep people calm when otherwise they might get into very angry situations and if need be, to call up the other services. It is this two-sided nature of your training, the equipment and with the people, which is so vital; and the third thing, always keeping up the spirit and morale of the force.
We are very proud in Britain that we helped to provide some of the training, passed on some of the things which we have learned over the years, to the forces on this island; proud to be able to provide help with resources and proud to be able to provide help with training.
I cannot stress too much how much we admire the work you do and the standards which you have set in this your country, the Island of Jamaica. Our pride and our congratulations and thank you for your wonderful welcome, for the privilege of unveiling this plaque and paying a tribute to you and saying ‘thank you’ to the young people who have done this memorial, done this fresco, and ‘thank you’ to the Prime Minister and Government of the Island for inviting me here (applause).