Great SOE chess move, PM Holness
IT’S BETTER late than never. Thanks, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, for declaring three states of public emergency (SOEs) in St James, Westmoreland and Hanover. Currently, St James has seen an approximately 80 per cent increase in murders, so an SOE in that parish should be welcomed. Some 1,641 Jamaicans were murdered in 2017, and those three parishes alone accounted for 550 deaths. Some 1,287 Jamaicans were murdered in 2018, and those three parishes accounted for 302 deaths.
Over 1,000 murders in an island like Jamaica is not normal. I once said that an SOE can’t work in one month or one year because I believe the criminals can find ways to survive up to a year. I believe dangerous parishes should have SOEs up to three years.
After 14 days, the ball will be in Peter Phillips and the Opposition’s court to support or vote against its extension. I believe if the Opposition votes against it, the Government should declare SOEs every 15 days in those western parishes or other murderous parishes like Clarendon, St Andrew and St Catherine.
In the meanwhile, the Government should quickly implement our DNA laws for the dangerous criminals held in custody. Also, amend the Bail Act so that persons who have been charged with over three murders do not get bail.
In closing, I strongly believe
that the attorney general, in the meanwhile, should ask for a judgment in the Supreme Court, and possibly the Court of Appeal, on what circumstances can allow us to break our Constitution to declare a SOE for over a year. I believe that with strong arguments, in the most murderous parishes, it can be done.
The National Identification System (NIDS) breaches our Constitution by infringing upon our right to privacy forever, so it could be argued that breaking our rights for over a year, to even three years, is not forever. That reasoning is for persons who may say that I am not being consistent by being against the unconstitutional NIDS and now being in favour of breaking our Constitution for SOEs. TEDDYLEE GRAY Ocho Rios, St Ann teddylee.gray@gmail.com