Criminals on vacation?

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I have noted the prime minister's pronouncement regarding a 68 per cent decrease in murders and shootings as a result of the state of emergency in St Catherine North, which has been extended to January 2, 2019. Good news!

However, I saw no mention of a significant reduction in the number of guns and ammunition or an increase in the number of thugs removed from the streets. My questions for Mr Holness and the architects of this so-called crime plan are:

1) Could you name the number of wanted men caught during the period and the number of gangs dismantled?

2) What is the total number of guns and ammunition recovered over the period?

3) Are the security teams combing the well-known criminal havens in St Catherine North, or are they merely stationed at checkpoints to peer into the vehicles of law-abiding, working-class citizens?

4) What is the plan to actually catch the criminals and rid communities of illegal guns?

5) Will there be another extension come January 2, 2019? Is this a long-term/permanent state of emergency being held under the guise of three-month extensions?

If we are doing this, we should at least be removing the thugs and guns from the streets in the process. It would be a shame if we all had to run and hide come January 3, 2019, when the criminals' vacation ends.

ANNE-MARIE CAMPBELL