UNDP: J’cans ‘paying high price for crime and violence’
Reducing Small Arms project launched for behavioural change in historically troubled Norwood
Published:Monday | June 20, 2022 | 12:08 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Denise Antonio, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative in Jamaica, said that a total change of mindset is needed among Jamaicans in order for the SALIENT initiative to work.
Antonio made the comments during last Friday's launch of the UNDP's Reducing Small Arms and Light Weapons in Jamaica initiative, in tandem with the Ministry of National Security in Norwood, St James, which has traditionally been one of western Jamaica's most violence-affected locations.
The project, which is also known as the SALIENT programme and is slated to cost $76 million, was launched at the Jamaica Evangelistic Centre in Norwood, just across the road from the local Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) camp.
“Your communities bring meaningful insight, because we need the communities to tell us what are the issues. We need to find out what are the factors that allow guns to come into this country, and what is the root cause of violence,” said Antonio.
“Something that is very key is that we have to change our behaviour, we have to modify the way we think. We are paying a high price for crime and violence in this country, as in 2021 the data show that over 1,460 persons were murdered in Jamaica, and this was the highest homicide rate in Latin America and the Caribbean, and we need to do something about it,” Antonio said.
The programme is geared towards reducing firearm-related violence by dismantling the factors that make it possible for guns to come into Jamaica and end up in the hands of criminals. It also seeks to address the root causes of violence and will provide training for residents on how to promote peaceful conflict resolution in their communities.
Benefit residents
Denham Town in Kingston and Norwood, St James, which have both had a history of violent crimes, will benefit from a landmark violence audit.
Dalton Spence, president of Norwood's Community Development Council, praised the project for its focus on directing young people away from gun crimes and towards better alternatives for conflict resolution.
“In Norwood, we could not have chosen a better place to launch this initiative, knowing we have our own share of problems. We have tried our best, in many ways, to put the right tools in the hands of youths … we have always thought that putting the right tools in the hands is better and turns out better consequences than the gun,” said Spence.
“Persons have deadly intent once they have the wrong tool in their hand. If you do not correct it now, it is going to be at your doorstep,” Spence added.
The programme is particularly needed as Jamaica has so far recorded 674 murders up to June 16, which is 12 more murders than had been recorded during the corresponding period last year. To date, there have been 531 shootings on record across the country.
National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang, member of parliament for St James North Western, where Norwood is located, said that the launch in the community was very meaningful for him.
“Norwood is in the heart of my constituency, and it is symbolic that we are starting this particular project in Norwood. Norwood has established its name for Jamaicans, sometimes for a good reason, and sometimes not,” said Chang. “Young men work together, play football together, and overnight, like the flip of a coin, they kill each other. We need to identify the root cause of the problem.”