Jamaica split on SOEs - Security expert says crime has been politicised
Published:Friday | February 28, 2020 | 12:00 AMNickoy Wilson/Staff Reporter
The results of the latest RJRGLEANER Group-commissioned Don Anderson Poll, which shows Jamaica split on the effectiveness of states of public emergency (SOEs), did not surprise security expert Robert Finzi-Smith, who says that the issue of crime has been politicised.
The poll, which was conducted between February 8 and 18 among 1,038 respondents islandwide, found that 49 per cent of Jamaicans believe that SOEs are effective while 44 per cent do not. Also, three per cent said that they do not know if the SOEs are effective while the remaining four per cent say they are not sure.
It also showed that 49 per cent of respondents agree with the Opposition’s call for the discontinuation of the SOEs, 44 per cent disagree, three per cent do not know, while the remaining four per cent are not sure.
“Now, why that is so and how we go about making it not so is a case for both sides of the political divide to come together and approach, but as long as we stay in a position where because I am in Opposition, I would like to see you in the Government look bad and because I am in Government, I don’t want the Opposition to make any points that may hurt, so that is what the concentration is on. Meanwhile, your citizens, your children, are dying,” Finzi-Smith said in an interview with The Gleaner.
NO END TO BLOODLETTING
Despite the imposition of states of emergency in almost half the police divisions across the country, murders have soared by 10 per cent since the start of the year when compared with the corresponding period in 2019.
Finzi-Smith said that the current utilisation of enhanced security measures was not effective.
“The seemingly steady and increasing death toll by the gun, when you start shooting one-year-old children within (SOEs), that alone tell you that somebody feel they can move up and down freely and do what them want. So as a tool, it may be worthwhile if it is properly used, but it is not a long-term thing unless you decide to live under a police and military state, and the crime figures belie it curtailing anything,” the security expert said.
With a margin of error of plus or minus three per cent, the poll also found that 47 per cent of Jamaicans believe that the SOE cannot be used as a long-term measure to fight crime, 45 per cent believe it can be, while four per cent do not know, and four per cent are not sure.
SOEs are in effect in St James, Hanover, Westmoreland, Clarendon, sections of St Catherine, St Andrew South, with the latest being imposed in East Kingston on January 26.
The first SOE was imposed by the Holness-led administration in St James on January 18, 2018.