Mixed views from stakeholders on SOE

WESTERN BUREAU:

WHILE SOME crime-fatigued residents in western Jamaica were happy to see a strong security presence, others who have gone through two previous bouts of states of emergency (SOE) in 2018 and 2022 are questioning the effectiveness of another.

This follows yesterday’s declaration of the national security forces’ 14-day roll-out in Hanover, St James and Clarendon.

Over the last nine days, 16 murders have been recorded between Hanover and St James. Twelve occurred in St James, including one triple murder and three double murders. Of the four in Hanover, one was a double murder.

Oral Heaven, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, thinks the imposition of the SOE is justified.

“I cannot speak on a right move or a wrong move, what I can say is, with what has been happening over the past week or so with 11 murders, if that does not constitute an emergency, I don’t know what an emergency is,” said Heaven.

“Whatever means that the Government can put in place to take these monsters off the road, the business community will have to support that move at this time. When you have a reduction in crime, and then suddenly, 11 persons one week, that is cause for concern,” he emphasised.

Well-known hotelier Sophie Grizzle Roumel, a director of the Negril Chamber of Commerce, says the regular declaration of SOEs casts a shadow over the nation’s tourism product.

“I know it is a controversial idea but every time we announce it, it is news that is negative for us,” said Grizzle Roumel. “But we still need to have protection, so the army and the police must get on with the job that has to be done to protect the citizens of Jamaica.

“Announcing it is what is hitting us hard, if we could get along and do it, without announcing it, which I do not think is legal, it would suit us.”

A prominent St James businessman, who asked not to be identified, is not in favour of the SOE.

“Having regular SOEs cause criminals to become comfortable with the police and soldiers. They know when to lay low and when to hide their guns and run away until they consider it safe to return,” said the businessman. “What is needed is some good old-fashioned detective work, where the criminals are identified and a solid case built against them so that when they are arrested and taken before the court, the court will have no choice but to send them to prison.”

While there was a strong presence of the security forces across many communities in St James and Hanover yesterday, it was quite noticeable that in areas such as Montpelier, near the border of St James and Westmoreland, which was usually heavily barricaded in other operations, there was no security presence up to midday. Also, many of the checkpoints had only soldiers.

Superintendent Sharon Beeput, the police commander for Hanover, was quite pleased about the imposition of the SOE. She welcomed the additional resources and is hopeful that the desired results will be achieved.

“We are anticipating 14 very good days as, with the increased capacity to hunt down and track criminals, we are expecting good results,” Beeput told The Gleaner. “We are calling on all law-abiding citizens to cooperate with the security forces as what is being done is in their best interest.”