There are moments in public life when a government decision leaves citizens asking one simple question: What were they thinking?

If reports are correct that Jamaica has entered into an arrangement that could see foreign nationals with serious criminal convictions being accepted into our country as part of wider migration or visa-related agreements, then the Jamaican people deserve a full explanation. I say this as a Jamaican mother, daughter, sister, and resident. I have no particular political affinity.

For decades, we have fought an exhausting battle against crime and violence. Successive governments have invested millions of dollars in policing, community programmes, security initiatives, and the justice system in an effort to reduce violent crime. Families continue to live with fear, businesses pay heavily for private security, and communities struggle to break cycles of violence.