On Wednesday, in KINGSTON, Jamaica, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced States of Public Emergency (SOEs) in eight parishes.
During a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, he said the SOEs are in effect in St. Ann, Clarendon, St. Catherine, Kingston, St. Andrew, St. James, Westmoreland, and Hanover to curtail increased criminal activities and bolster public safety.
He said after carefully considering recommendations from the security chiefs, his Government decided to notify the Governor-General that it was necessary and appropriate to declare the SOEs.
“While we have had reasonable success in controlling the number of murders leading up to and during the Christmas season, the threat levels for ongoing gang conflicts, contract killings, organized robberies of businesses, hijacking of goods in transit, and various… scams that lead, ultimately, to the loss of lives, spreading of fear and depriving entire communities of their freedom to pursue their business and happiness… remain elevated and extensive in scale,” he said.
Holness insisted that the Government has to maximize and use all lawful means to multiply and project its security resources, not only to investigate and prevent the occurrence of crimes or loss of lives but to increase presence to deter criminals and conduct various operations to pre-empt them.
He said the proof of the security measure’s effectiveness is in the immediate reduction in murders and its follow-on lag effect during periods in the future.
“Last year December, there were 127 murders committed in Jamaica. If we were to annualize this, that would mean a murder rate of 56 [persons] per 100,000. That is unacceptable in any country by any standard or means.
“So after studying the situation carefully and being seized of the data and intelligence which showed a similar trend this year, the Government acted reasonably and decisively to save lives and to preserve the freedoms of ordinary citizens,” Holness said.
He said the Government would continue to be relentless in its efforts to control murders precisely and crimes generally and would use all appropriate measures available.
“We will use the SOEs when necessary. Criminals and criminal masterminds should take no comfort that the time for declaration is short. We are, and we will continue to use all lawful powers within our means to control crime and to save lives,” the Prime Minister said.
Adding that his administration will continue to advance the legislative agenda to address crime, he said: “We continue to work on the Enhanced Security Measures Bill. We have already declared our intention to increase the penalty for murder. Already, in Parliament, there is a new Bail Act; other measures include changes to the Fingerprint Act and other legislative measures. We are serious about showing the criminals that we are in charge of this country, and they are not at will to take lives.”
Holness maintained that any Government must save lives.
“I am confident that our measures this season have resulted in many Jamaicans being safer,” he said.
The Prime Minister declared SOEs in several parishes and police divisions on December 6.
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