Curfew orders: Gov't to allow police whatever crime-fighting tool they want

National Security Minister Robert Montague has indicated that he will be giving the security forces curfew orders to be used in the fight against crime.

The use of curfews, which restricts the movements of citizens, was virtually eliminated by former national security minister Peter Bunting.

In 2014, the number of curfews imposed across the island was down from between 6 and 7,000 annually to just over 30.

However, speaking to The Gleaner/Power106 News Centre, Montague said the Andrew Holness administration is prepared to give the security forces whatever crime-fighting tool they request.

He says if the leadership of the security forces believe curfews would help to cauterise the country’s crime problem his government would support their request.

Meanwhile, Bunting is again cautioning that curfews should only be used in very selective cases.

While indicating that he has no issue with the use of curfews, the former national security minister says his concern is that over the years it had become a routine policing tool.

He says the fact that a minister has to approve curfews shows that they were never intended to be part of normal operations.

Bunting noted also that Jamaica recorded the lowest number of murder when the use of curfews was drastically reduced in 2014.