End violence and SOE will cease – Chang

Western Bureau-

National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang has said the ongoing state of public emergency (SOE) in St James was not designed to be a long-term measure and will end once the rampant lawlessness ceases.

Chang was responding to complaints by stakeholders in the entertainment industry that the SOE was negatively impacting the earning capacity of players in that sector, who are being constrained by the lock-off policies being enforced by the security forces.

However, in explaining the purpose of the SOE, the security minister, who is also the member of parliament for West Central St James, made it clear that it was designed to curtail lawlessness and that once that objective was achieved, there would be no need for its continuation.

“The primary purpose of the SOE is to reduce crime and violence, particularly murders. However, it is not something you can maintain forever in a community and, in fact, the shorter the time you have it, the better off you are,” explained Chang.

Responding to complaints by some promoters that the police are not operating with an even hand, as they are allowing some promoters to go beyond the hours they are enforcing on other promoters, Chang said it was as a result of a flawed system, which allows the police to use their discretion instead of being guided by a set policy.

“That is something we will be looking at as a part of our plan to take a look at the Noise Abatement Act and other issues relating to the entertainment sector,” explained Chang. “We consider entertainment an important and legitimate industry, and everyone is in agreement that reggae music is a significant component of Brand Jamaica.”