Let the SOE remain in place

THE EDITOR, Sir:

MR ROBERT Dalley, in a newspaper column, wrote about the importance of the states of emergency (SOEs) and the fact that they should remain in place until the murder rate is reduced by at least 60%. I support this wholeheartedly.

SOEs In Westmoreland and western Jamaica are very important.

The Government, led by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, has my support for its declaration of a state of emergency in the parish of Westmoreland. The SOE should not be removed until the criminal and scamming gangs are dismantled, and those notorious criminals who are causing violence, mayhem and recklessness are arrested, charged for their crimes and brought before the court. It is plain and simple as that.

Before the enhanced security measures were introduced in Westmoreland, the murder rate was increasing at an alarming level. A significant number of scammers have migrated into our parish and are now involved in the stolen motor vehicles racket, gun crimes and murder along with the guns-for-drug trade. It is important for the security forces, under the SOEs, to move all out to investigate, find and arrest these criminals and take them off the streets of the parish. They have been creating so much crimes within the parish, making it a dangerous and unsafe place to reside in.

I implore all the citizens of the parish to co-operate with the security forces and give them whatever information that they may have.

I use this opportunity to implore Prime Minister Andrew Holness not to remove the states of emergency which are in effect in the parishes of Westmoreland, St James and Hanover until all forms of crime are significantly reduced, and until the heads of the security forces so advise him to do.