Coronavirus crime wave - Security strategists warn about COVID-19 chaos
Published:Sunday | March 22, 2020 | 12:34 AMCorey Robinson - Senior Staff Reporter
Police commanders in Kingston’s commercial hub say they have bolstered patrols as businesses downtown brace for security threats during the COVID-19 scare.
Head of the Kingston Central Division Superintendent Maldria Jones-Williams gave the reassurance on the weekend following a break-in at an ice-cream outlet on upper Orange Street on Wednesday night.
Jones-Williams, at the same time, rebuffed reports reaching The Sunday Gleaner that wholesales downtown were being targeted for break-ins and looting, scenarios that security experts warned were not far off if the novel coronavirus public-health crisis persists.
“The ice cream break-in was the only incident that I am aware of,” she told The Sunday Gleaner.
In the meantime, Professor Anthony Clayton, of the Institute of Sustainable Development at The University of the West Indies, says that the COVID-19 crisis could have devastating, long-term implications on the economy and Jamaica’s burgeoning crime problem.
“It all depends on how decisive the Government’s policy response is in managing this crisis. The economic consequences depend very much on how successful we are in slowing the rate of new infections. If we can do that, then the impact will not be so great,” said Clayton.
“If we come through this in reasonably good shape, then there won’t be serious economic consequences, and, therefore, we will not see a lot of people plunged into poverty. But if we make a bad job of managing it, then we’ll see a lot more people getting laid off and a lot more desperate people.”
The professor lauded the Government’s efforts so far but noted that in a worst-case scenario, Jamaica may have to follow other countries facing the similar crisis and pay a percentage of some workers’ salaries in order to prevent mass lay-offs.
“We’re not there yet, but the problem is that if we don’t do the right thing, decisively and quickly, we will get there. It’s only a matter of time, and it is going to be worse than a lot of people realise,” said Clayton, noting that in addition to Government, individuals must take the relevant steps to help avert a catastrophe.
On the weekend, downtown Kingston was a shadow of its usual liveliness as some businesses, particularly bars and other recreational facilities, observed no-gathering protocols implemented by the Government. Several wholesales also shuttered their doors.
The droopy scenery sparked concerns for some business owners and their customers about the safety of the establishments at nightfall.
Night burglaries, the business operators explained, are recurrent features of operating downtown, especially after the relocation of two police posts from the area two years ago.
STEPPING UP NIGHT PATROLS
Arcade stalls and bars, like the popular Two Lane Bar at the corner of Water and Peters lanes, are among the criminals’ favourite. And so, too, are restaurants like the landmark Moby Dick, on lower Orange Street, which was broken into late last year.
Last week, security strategist and chairman of ASIS International Jamaica Chapter, Retired Captain Basil Bewry, warned that chaos could ensue if the public-health crisis persists for a long period.
“Anything is likely because people have to survive even though they have no source of income. People are not going to hold their corners and starve to death,” he argued, noting that from his investigations, break-ins downtown are often facilitated by insiders.
Jones-Williams, in the meantime, said police officers in the division are stepping up their night patrols, noting that “there will always be persons who will try to test the system. We have had maybe one or two incidents of people not complying, but my officers are very vigilant.”
She said that some citizens still do not understand the security implications, “so our duty, in the first instance, is to explain to them and ask for compliance”.
The Sunday Gleaner visited several bars downtown, which remained opened. One bartender entertained customers behind closed doors, admitting that “by it touch 8:00 p.m., everybody gone home.”
Fearful not to alert passing police patrols, she constantly hushed a cluster of drinkers discussing the coronavirus crisis. Earlier, she directed each to a sink and hand-sanitiser upon entry via a back door.