State of Public Emergency declared for St Catherine
Published:Friday | June 17, 2022 | 8:10 AM
A State of Public Emergency is now underway in the parish of St Catherine whose capital Spanish Town was the site of mayhem this week, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has just announced.
Holness said the Government had to act to stem crime and violence in the parish. Sections of Spanish Town have been experiencing murders and shootings. Holness said the government has a duty to ensure the safety and security of law-abiding residents.
A state of public emergency allows the security forces, or authorised persons, enhanced powers of search and arrest and limit the right of detained persons to due process.
The measure can only remain in force for 14 days and must get the support of both Houses of Parliament.
But the Opposition People's National Party has expressed concerns about the use of SOEs in crime-fighting. It voted previous efforts to extend the measures.
The announcement of a state of emergency comes just hours before the Supreme Court rules in a constitutional case brought against the Emergency Powers Regulations 2018 that governed the State of Public Emergency in St. James.
More details to come.
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