Face the crisis squarely
published: Thursday | July 8, 2004


CRIME AND violence have now reached a level in Jamaica that calls for a psychological state of emergency in which our leaders would, by their words and actions, demonstrate how serious the situation is and call on the nation to face the crisis.

Dr. Peter Phillips, Minister of National Security, made a start in this direction when he warned Parliamentarians to sever their connections with known drug dons but since his presentation in the House of Representatives the murder rate has continued to soar, culminating in 150 murders for June. If this continues, we are likely to exceed 1,400 killings for the year, a rate of 56 per 100,000 of the population. In London, at this rate, there would be 4,480 murders for a year whereas in fact, there were only 204 murders in that city for the twelve-month period to May 2004. Even New York has only about 700 murders a year. More Jamaicans are dying by the gun in one year than all American casualties in Iraq or those killed in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

The announced Cabinet sub-committee meeting to deal with issues of public order is simply not good enough. The Prime Minister, like Winston Churchill during World War II, should take personal control of the struggle to control crime, set up a command centre on a wartime basis and attempt to rally a new level of public support for the police and military. In emergencies, leadership must demonstrate a sense of priority, if only symbolically, and the Prime Minister * rather than being preoccupied in Grenada with whether to recognise the new government in Haiti * should be making it clear that he recognises the gravity of the crisis here.

If outside help is needed we must put aside nervous nationalism and request it. If the police and military need more resources they must be provided whether or not other fiscal targets are missed. We are facing slow death as a country and need to be reminded that self-preservation is the first law of nature. Before we all get totally desensitised to violence, Mr. Patterson's government must create the psychological atmosphere in which revulsion rather than acceptance is the order of the day, and action rather than talk is the highest political priority.
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Now it seems to me they are basically saying Jamaica getting worse in the crime department and everybody turning a blind eye or simply accepting "the fact." And it seems to me that the government is being blamed for the increase in crime in the country. Well I could be wrong here and if I am...please don't hesitate to point that out...but the Jamaican Government is not the Jamaican people's babysitters. I am mad at the government there for allowing the economy to get where it is and for not providing enough opportunities so that the people can live nstead a jus survive so...I mean what are they getting paid for neways? If crime has become such a HUGE problem then there must be a solution. Those people guilty of committing these crimes should pay..yes..but prevention betta dan cure right?Does Jamaica have an "army?" Let them take out their frustrations and release some of their frustrations by protecting what we have left.Send them to boot camp...I don't know but for crying loud do something fi real. And what is the reason for so much crime....too much time maybe; no dollas nah run possibly...I don't know but God help our nation I pray coz things like this give the country a bad rep and discourage the citizens. Wah unno tink??

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Nuh Watch No Face
2 Sweet

"CRIME AND violence have now reached a level in Jamaica that calls for a psychological state of emergency.."
It has been in a state of psychological emergency. The red alarm has just being sounded off in the heads of the government, some of which is said to believe, in being the ring leader and crime setters. What can the government do if there are so many issues are being placed at their feet and they themselves have had to eat out of the hands of the gunmen? Just somethings I ponder on.


"More Jamaicans are dying by the gun in one year than all American casualties in Iraq or those killed in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict......" And it seems to me that the government is being blamed..."
Now this is a serious issue....US Army is just as big as 1/4 of Jamaica (my statistics), so if more people are dying in Jamaica than how people in Iraq is dying then that is just too atrocious. The state of ones home reflect the leaders and that's why the government is being blamed/ sought after in the issue of crime and violence in Jamaica.

"Now it seems to me they are basically saying Jamaica getting worse in the crime department and everybody turning a blind eye or simply accepting "the fact."crime has become such a HUGE problem then there must be a solution."
Citizens can help to some extent but the only solution after man has tried and tried is prayer and Jesus.

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Thanks Princess...you're so right...God is the only answer for Jamaica. Only He can work through man (government or otherwise) to improve the state Jamaica is unfortunately in. The countrymen that pray together...stays together

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Nuh Watch No Face
2 Sweet

War on extortion
Hundreds of soldiers deployed, Multimillion-dollar racket
published: Saturday | July 10, 2004


Commissioner of Police Francis Forbes assures this elderly woman about the new security strategies aimed at tackling the crime problem in Spanish Town, St. Catherine. Commissioner Forbes and National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips were among a number of officialss who toured sections of the Old Capital with Mayor Raymoth Notice yesterday. -Norman Grindley photo

Glenroy Sinclair and Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Reporters

POLICE COMMISSIONER Francis Forbes yesterday declared an al-out war on the multimillion-dollar extortion racket in Spanish Town, St. Catherine.

"This is something that I have been discussing with my senior officers. I have since put some things in place to come to grips with this extortion racket, which is killing this township," the Commissioner told journalists in the old capital yesterday.

And in disclosing some parts of new crime-fighting strategies, the Commissioner told The Gleaner that several hundred Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldiers are to be immediately deployed to parishes with a high incidence of crime to assist the police.

HIGH CRIME RATE

He said this is part of a summer programme to reduce the country's escalating crime problem. Sections of the Corporate Area and parishes with high crime rates will be under the microscope.

"This was agreed on, following a recent meeting between the Police High Command, the JDF Chief of Staff (Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin) and his senior officers," Commissioner Forbes noted.

Pointing to the situation in Spanish Town, the Commis-sioner said the problem was complex, but not one that was without a solution. He added that in addition to tackling the extortion problem, police officers have been instructed to immediately start paying close attention to traffic and general law and order in the old capital.

"Within a matter of days you are going to see a different attitude from the local police in Spanish Town, because we have to put an end to this extortion racket," said Commissioner Forbes, shortly after completing a tour of the town with National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips, the town's Mayor Dr. Raymoth Notice, and Members of Parliament Fitz Jack-son and Olivia 'Babsy' Grange.

Dr. Phillips committed himself to bring to the attention of the relevant agencies, a number of social problems that he said, had to be addressed in Spanish Town. He has proposed to meet again with Dr. Notice, the Members of Parliament and citizens on July 23 to further discuss the issue.

"This is not the time for lip service, it is a time to give and take," Dr. Phillips said
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I was amazed to read this today. Pleasant surprise. Let's hope they follow through and it works

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Nuh Watch No Face
2 Sweet

The gov't and the police needas to revise the crime bill or policy. Even now our police aint equipped to secure a crime scene much less perform forensics and all the scientific stuff at a scene, except fingerprinting! There exists many cold cases which go unsolved even now. Take first world countries as an example, even after many years have passed a group is still pursuing some old cold case and remarkably after so long garner a conviction. in Jamaica the criminals are confident that after a few weeks of laying low they are just as good as innocent as the cops aint looking in their direction anymore.

this is sad!

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