McKenzie calls for harmony among citizens and security forces
Published:Monday | April 25, 2022 | 12:08 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
Kingston Western Member of Parliament Desmond McKenzie has expressed concern over the tense and potentially damaging relationship between the security forces and civilians.
Speaking at the award ceremony of 28 beneficiaries in the Denham Town community under the Government of Jamaica and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund’s (JSIF) Integrated Community Development Project Phase 2 (ICDP-II) last Friday, McKenzie lamented the killing of 32-year-old Horaine Glenn, which resulted from a confrontation with members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) on Saturday evening.
Glenn, who allegedly attempted to disarm a JDF member, was fatally shot in the process. Residents who are alledging to have witnessed something entirely different, have characterised Glenn’s killing as merciless. As a result, the community has been in a state of unrest, with residents, in two days of demonstrations, blocking Charles Street, North Street, and Spanish Town Road.
“Last week wasn’t a good time for west Kingston,” said McKenzie, and have called for the establishment of mutual respect between civilians and the military and police force.
McKenzie explained that after witnessing a video of a young man kicking a JDF member in the constituency, there was much need for intervention.
LAW AND ORDER
Condemning such actions, McKenzie appealed to residents to maintain law and order.
“I want to say to my constituency ... if there is a case where the community feels as if justice was not done in the correct way, there is a mechanism in place to raise these concerns,” he said.
He added that after bringing in members of the Independent Commission of Investigations to the community concerning Glenn’s case, citizens have been cooperative in giving statements of what took place to the police.
“A life has been lost. You can’t replace that life, but we must become more responsible and respectful to members of the security forces,” he said.
McKenzie added that respect is a “two-way street” and as a result, he also urged the military and police personnel to show the same level of respect to civilians.
With JDF members under the zones of special operations which was implemented in the area, McKenzie exclaimed that much more work can be done to repair the community’s reputation.
While he indicated that he was not scolding the community for peacefully protesting, as citizens have the right to do so, he said that security force members must maintain a high level of professionalism when performing their duties.
“I am not afraid, and I would never be afraid to call out those who are making the lives of many people within this constituency miserable. I will support the efforts to bring an end to that level of vulgarity within this constituency, but I will also not support any attack on our security forces,” he said.
“We have been through a lot in this constituency, and I believe the time has come that we must now take a different approach to how we do things,” said McKenzie.
He has also reaffirmed his commitment to working with Senior Superintendent Michael Phipps, the commander of the JCF’s Kingston Western Division, to guarantee effective policing in the area that can result in greatly reducing conflicts with the residents.
“Whatever it takes, I am committed; and I am asking you, the residents of Denham Town and the entire constituency, to join me to repair the damage that was created last week,” he added.