Hanover councillor calls for JamaicaEye support

WESTERN BUREAU:

Easton Edwards, the councillor for the Lucea division, wants the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC), the police, and local business stakeholders to join forces in seeking to get JamaicaEye to establish a CCTV network in the parish capital, Lucea.

In referencing a recent shooting incident on Trafalgar Road in Kingston, where the JamaicaEye network played an integral role in assisting the police in apprehending the gunmen, Edwards said Hanover could benefit from that type of surveillance.

“The JamaicaEye has been doing a good job in assisting in apprehending some of the ruthless individuals in this country, but I am wondering when is it that we (in Hanover) are going to be engaging our business folks in the Lucea space, that have video set-up within them, to hook up with the JamaicaEye network?” said Edwards, while speaking at the recent monthly meeting of the HMC.

According to Edwards, if there is no national participation in the fight against crime, it will only be a matter of time before the crime situation in Jamaica becomes overwhelming.

Edwards said he has already had discussions with Lucea Mayor Sheridan Samuels, who is also chairman of the HMC, about mounting cameras on the outside of the municipal building, which is facing Bustamante Square. He said those cameras could be linked to the JamaicaEye network.

“We need to have a little meeting with all of our stakeholders, especially those at the roadside, that they must have a camera on the outside ... so that vehicles moving from point A to point B can be tracked,” said Edwards. “Hanover needs to start playing its part in making sure that they now become a part of the JamaicaEye network.”

BEEPUT ENDORSES EDWARDS

Superintendent Sharon Beeput, the police commander for Hanover, who was present at the meeting, endorsed Edwards’ call, saying such an initiative would assist the police in its crime-fighting efforts. She said a meeting was held on the matter and strategic points have been identified in Lucea where cameras could be placed.

“I would appreciate if the municipality could organise all these stakeholders so we can really have that meeting and engage them to find persons who are interested, and to see how fast we could get it (a video link into the JamaicaEye network) on track, in partnership with all,” said Beeput.

Edwards subsequently told The Gleaner that he will be meeting with Samuels and David Gardner, the chief executive officer of the HMC, to see how quickly his suggestions can be pursued.

“I think that a list should be made of all the business people within the town space, a letter be forwarded to them, a date arrived at for a meeting, and let them understand that, in the interest of the security of the town, and, by extension, the parish, we have to go in that direction,” said Edwards.

Edwards, who wants Tamika Davis, the member of parliament for Hanover Western, to be a part of the discussions, said that business operators who already have internal camera systems, should be encouraged to have at least one camera on the outside of their building for roadway coverage.

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