Stakeholders in Manchester call for more to be done on violent crimes

A call was made on Wednesday by stakeholders in Manchester for more to be done to address violent crimes in the parish.

The plea came at a meeting held at the Christiana Primary School, which saw a gathering of residents, community leaders, and local representatives.

Originally, the event was intended to be a peace walk through the streets of Christiana put shifted indoors due to heavy rains.

The event was spearheaded by People's National Party Councillor for the Christiana division Oneil Evans along with PNP candidate for Manchester Southern and opposition Senator Peter Bunting.

The discussion focused on finding meaningful solutions to combat the string of murders and shootings affecting not just Christiana but the wider parish.

Bunting provided sobering statistics on crime in Manchester.

"As of September 10, murders in the parish are up by 31% in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. And shootings have risen by 25%. Meanwhile, Jamaica has seen a 16% reduction in murders and a 3% decrease in shootings. This shows that Manchester is facing a particular crisis, with the parish ranking second only to St Andrew Central in the increase of murders," Bunting explained.

The statistics painted a grim picture, highlighting the urgent need for collective action to reverse the upward trend in violence.

Leaders and residents alike echoed the call for greater involvement from every sector of society, with hopes that the gathering would not only inspire immediate change but also revive the core values of peace and unity that have long been central to Jamaican life.

- Natrawn Wright

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