Government using all tools to fight crime – Chang

National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang veered away from speaking to the legal implications surrounding the out-of-use special security measures in the form of states of public emergency (SOE) as the Government’s main crime-fighting weapon, and instead reiterated the administration’s effort to use whatever available tool to drive down violent crime.

States of emergency were declared in five parishes – St James, Westmoreland, Hanover, Clarendon and St Catherine – and were later added to sections of the Corporate Area to include the Kingston Western and Kingston Central police divisions to stem the tide of violent crime, and were withdrawn by an act of Parliament to facilitate the September 3 general election.

It was not without its criticisms, however, as concerns began pouring in about the legality of the length of detention of persons held under the Emergency Powers Act, frequently causing the Government to be defending its position on the matter.

Chang, who was speaking with residents of Glendale and Three Oaks Gardens in the St Andrew North West constituency of fellow Cabinet member Dr Nigel Clarke, said the SOEs are a legal matter being addressed by Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte and her team of legal consultants.

He said, however, that the Government will do whatever is required to apprehend the killers who are on the roads, who are endangering the lives of Jamaican citizens and are a threat to public safety.

“There are tools in the toolkit and we are using them and we will continue using them. We will have to expand some; the zones of special operations (ZOSOs) are there, we have them in four areas, and I think it is an excellent law, as it focuses on particular areas,” Chang said.

SOCIAL-INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES

He said the Government will be changing direction in how social-intervention programmes are instituted in ZOSO areas, stating a more mainstream approach is being taken to allow for improved efficiency.

“That process has been somewhat intercepted by the COVID activity where we have put into that some $4 million,” said Chang.

He stated that while planning the next step regarding the SOEs, the Government is continuing its investment in the security forces, which, according to him, is one pillar of development.

In addition, he said the uptick in major crime activity across sections of the Corporate Area is being addressed.

“What we have is a scenario where you take out one generation and the other replaces it, and that brings about conflicts as to who will lead. The police response is to get rid of the entire cohort of criminal actors,” Chang noted.

“We want to find them, find the evidence, lock them up and get them off the streets where we will then begin to see the downward trend in crime that we are all looking for. But yes, the Corporate Area is proving a challenge, but I know the commissioner and his team are looking at how we control that problem,” he said.

paul.clarke@gleanerjm.com