SOE regulations became effective once made – Johnson Smith

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, says that the emergency regulations governing the states of public emergency (SOEs) announced on December 28 in eight parishes became effective once made.

She was speaking in the Upper House on Friday where the regulations were tabled.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced SOEs for the parishes of St Ann, Clarendon, St Catherine, Kingston, St Andrew, St James, Westmoreland and Hanover to curtail increased criminal activities in those areas and bolster public safety.

Senator Johnson Smith, who is leader of government business, clarified reports that the regulations were to be debated or approved in the Upper House on January 6.

“I just want to make it clear that the only action intended today, as has been our process, was the tabling of the regulations. So we have not changed the agenda today. This had always been the intention, as its a part of the process. The regulations are effective once they are made. They are gazetted, dated as provided,” she said.

“The tabling here is a matter of the process which we have continued to follow, and they will be similarly tabled in [the House of Representatives] next week,” she added.

– JIS