It is encouraging that the totally unacceptable nature of this shooting-violence is at last attracting greater attention from Government, who have until now had an observably VERY soft attitude to Criminal Gang activities, although clearly Government have not yet come up with a meaningful, let alone an appropriate, strategy, to combat them.
However, WE MUST REMEMBER that as bad and as seriously threatening as gun-based gang violence is, their “business and primary income source” comes from the much more serious procurement, distribution of and highly profitable sale of illegal highly addictive drugs — all while knowingly and deliberately destroying many New Zealanders’ lives in the process. That is their UNDERPINNING business and (hugely profitable) livelihood.
Criminal Gangs are essentially “tribes”, reflecting and based on the Maori tribal model. The difference is that their raison d’être is as “criminal enterprises for profit”— i.e., they have a “CRIMINAL BUSINESS PURPOSE “ as their reason for being. Maori tribes do not.
We New Zealanders do NOT want Criminal Gangs in our society and eradicating / eliminating these “CRIMINAL” gangs from our society is the only viable solution. Anything less implies / acknowledges “a right to exist as a CRIMINAL enterprise”, whose purpose is “the carrying out of criminal activities as a business enterprise — for profit”.
Surely NO government can sanction / accept such a “CRIMINAL business-purpose” as a valid / justifiable “right to exist”.
Criminal Gang membership and criminal activity (recently, particularly drive-by shootings, no doubt associated with “ territorial rights” and / or “revenge-shootings”) have continued to escalate to the serious risk and detriment of all New Zealanders.
Criminal Gangs are essentially “tribes”, reflecting and based on the Maori tribal model. The difference is that their raison d’être is as “criminal enterprises for profit”— i.e., they have a “CRIMINAL BUSINESS PURPOSE “ as their reason for being. Maori tribes do not.
We New Zealanders do NOT want Criminal Gangs in our society and eradicating / eliminating these “CRIMINAL” gangs from our society is the only viable solution. Anything less implies / acknowledges “a right to exist as a CRIMINAL enterprise”, whose purpose is “the carrying out of criminal activities as a business enterprise — for profit”.
Surely NO government can sanction / accept such a “CRIMINAL business-purpose” as a valid / justifiable “right to exist”.
Criminal Gang membership and criminal activity (recently, particularly drive-by shootings, no doubt associated with “ territorial rights” and / or “revenge-shootings”) have continued to escalate to the serious risk and detriment of all New Zealanders.
Criminal Gangs unquestionably DOMINATE the procurement-for-supply, distribution, and sale of illegal habit-forming drugs in our society — all for huge monetary gain. Supplying illegal drugs is their underpinning “BUSINESS “ and source of income.
They also own / possess illegally, large quantities of illegal-guns, and other intimidatory weapons, all used for criminal purposes including intimidation, threats of violence, violence, revenge-shooting, murder, robbery, burglary, raiding, etc.
Further, they are involved in extortion by menace, blackmail, car/ vehicle conversion and, in short, criminal activities of pretty well every kind and description.
In addition, Criminal Gangs are constantly involved in civil disobedience of various kinds which, unlike ordinary citizens, they more often than not get away with.
Again, it is stressed that Government must understand and accept that “containment” is NOT a satisfactory strategy in combating these Criminal Gangs, because “containment” implies “acceptance” of criminal enterprises in our society — it implies a “right to exist” for the purpose for which they exist — namely, “the exploiting / carrying out of criminal activity AS A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE FOR PROFIT”.
Surely Government cannot accept / condone this “CRIMINAL PURPOSE” as constituting a valid, acceptable or justifiable “right to exist”.
I am charging Government that they have an indisputable responsibility to eliminate / eradicate these Criminal Gangs from our society. We New Zealanders do not want them in our society. An example has been set by the Western Australian Government. Time NOW for our Government to put the legal framework in place to do the same —and TO MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS — eradicate Criminal Gangs from our society.
Hugh Perrett, a member of the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame, is the former managing director of Foodstuffs and founder of the Pak n' Save discount grocery chain. This article was originally published HERE, 13 June 2022
I am charging Government that they have an indisputable responsibility to eliminate / eradicate these Criminal Gangs from our society. We New Zealanders do not want them in our society. An example has been set by the Western Australian Government. Time NOW for our Government to put the legal framework in place to do the same —and TO MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS — eradicate Criminal Gangs from our society.
Hugh Perrett, a member of the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame, is the former managing director of Foodstuffs and founder of the Pak n' Save discount grocery chain. This article was originally published HERE, 13 June 2022
6 comments:
Finally someone who can see the part drugs play in today’s society! I get no satisfaction from saying “I told you so”, but since 1974 when I was first offered marijuana, I have been telling anyone who will listen, that drugs would be the downfall of society. Those that want to decriminalise all drugs and take the money out of the equation simply putting the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.
Gangs will always find a way to navigate around the law. The only way to stop the harm drugs are causing is to stop their importation by whatever means and at whatever cost, and stop people becoming addicted in the first place. Yes, alcohol can be addictive, but the rise in serious crime seems to have happened since drugs have become more accessible.
Any ideas how they might do this? Anything at all?
Because, to my knowledge, no country has successfully eliminated criminal gangs, even when they crack down on them hard.
Containment of gangs and protection of the vast majority of the population is probably the only viable option.
Make it as hard for them to operate as you can. Something this government has failed miserably at. In fact they've subtly encouraged gang membership.
I heard a statistic once. 10% of people will never try drugs. 10% will always try drugs and there's not much you can do about it. It's the 80% you have to worry about, who might try drugs if their circumstances push them to it.
Hazel
El Salvador, of course. That beacon of freedom and democracy! Where everyone who can, heads north to the US border.
It all sounds great until innocent civilians start getting accidently taken out by the death squads, and you're scared your kids don't make it home after another shoot-out.
I'm pretty sure a recent leader of the Phillipines tried something similar but it didn't have the outcome he promised.
Look, we can clearly do a lot more to constrain gangs and make life hard for them. Using hit squads is likely a step too far for most people and will definitely end up with tragic collateral damage. It always does.
And the biggest gang of criminals reside in the beehive.
We have more than 10 Security Organisations in NZ. They should know where all the threats come from. Starting with the gang pads right down to the little tinny houses all over the country and countryside. These places could be targeted, raided and smashed up if that was decided the action needed to be taken. Gang members could be searched without warrants and many illegal guns would be found.
This may not be desirable to many people who are removed from the immediate problem but if we don't do this now, when will we do anything that will be effective in solving the problems? We will soon be El Salvadore II because the gangs will be in charge anyway. They are already killing each other in broad daylight on our city streets. Listen for the screams of outrage when there is collateral damage of innocent bystanders. In the meantime it's good their numbers are being reduced. Because they are a blight on society and contribute nothing.
MC
Hallelujah, Hugh.
What a breath of fresh air your article is.
We only need to look at the gang takeover of Opotiki to raise the question:-
"WTF are the Police doing ?" They are helping the gangs take over the main road !!
We all know that if you or I tried to take over a road like that, we would be instantly arrested and taken into custody, probably have our vehicle seized.
But the gangs are not stupid. They KNOW that the police are always going to be soft on them. If I was a gang member, I would be rubbing my hands in glee at how the NZ police force are so much on our side !!
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