Daily Observer (Jamaica)

St Catherine SOE extended for another three months

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THE House of Representa­tives has extended the State of Public Emergency in the St Catherine North Police Division for another three months.

This follows approval of the Emergency Powers (No 2) (Continuanc­e) (No 3) Resolution, 2018 during yesterday’s sitting of the House. The security measure, which was slated to end on October 2, will remain in place until January 2019. All 47 members who were present voted in favour of the extension. Sixteen members were absent.

Addressing the House, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the enhanced security measures in the St Catherine North Police Division have resulted in a 68 per cent reduction in murders and shootings.

“Since the interventi­on, that is for the period March 18 to September 2, the division has recorded 27 murders and 22 shootings… when compared to the equivalent period of time prior to the state of emergency,” he noted.

“Eighty-two murders and 72 shootings were recorded over a period of 168 days prior to the state of emergency, so that would be from the first of January 2018 to the calling of the state of emergency,” he added.

The prime minister said the request for a further extension was based on the recommenda­tion of the security forces.

“This is deemed to be necessary to satisfy the short- to medium-term objectives of the special measure. Importantl­y, it will reinforce the pillars of transforma­tion that will be seen as part of the long-term results of these actions,” he noted.

He said the security forces were moving to transform their operations to a more “investigat­ion-based strategy”.

“We are gathering greater intelligen­ce; we are building greater networks of cooperatio­n in the communitie­s; and, ultimately, it is this better policing that will lead to the sustainabl­e reduction in crime,” he noted.

The prime minister, meanwhile, assured that the state of emergency is not a long-term solution.

“I know that we cannot rely on this forever. There comes a time when the expenditur­e to have an elevated level of police presence yields little result. What we don’t want, however, is for the criminals to ever get in their minds that the Government will not use extraordin­ary powers to address the threat that they pose,” he said.

Holness indicated that the security forces were amenable to making changes to the hours of operation for businesses in the area.

He said Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang will provide an update in this regard.

 ?? (Photo: JIS) ?? Prime Minister Andrew Holness tells the House of Represneta­tives, Wednesday, why it is necessary to extend the state of emergency in St Catherine North.
(Photo: JIS) Prime Minister Andrew Holness tells the House of Represneta­tives, Wednesday, why it is necessary to extend the state of emergency in St Catherine North.

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