Mosquitos - a necessary evil.

I set out below the text of a letter that I have written today to the SudburyFree Press who have been asking for readers' opinions on the use of Mosquito 'youth crowd dispersal devices'.

I think that if different people's human rights are in conflict, the innocent rather than the troublesome should get the benefit of the doubt! Of course Liberty (the Human Rights organisation) would argue that the devices impact on innocent children and troublemakers indiscriminately. I would reply that the authorities are very careful to place these devices in areas where trouble is known to have occurred. If kids are innocent, they would do well to stay away from these spots so that their innocence is preserved!

I wrote:-

It would be a mistake to believe that mosquito devices are installed without careful thought. When residents in my Ward were constantly disturbed at night by groups of young people car-racing at speed, playing loud music, and doing significant damage to private property nearby, the Police, officers from Babergh District Council and others spent considerable time (some might argue too much time) discussing and implementing a series of measures, including a mosquito device. This broadly based and considered approach has, by and large, resolved the problems.

It is difficult to understate the distress that was caused to the elderly and innocent residents affected while the noise and disturbance continued, and the feeling of general impotence felt by those in the community who were trying to help them.

Of course the use of mosquito devices and other measures can only treat the symptoms and not the cause of anti social behaviour. However, while we fail to value self-discipline and do not promote respect for the rights of all members of society, shorter term measures such as these must be the necessary and appropriate response.