JAMAICA | Protect our children in all spaces says Senator Morris

KINGSTON, Jamaica, October 20, 2021 -  Opposition Spokesperson on Youth, Senator Gabriela Morris, and  Junior Shadow Spokesperson on Justice, Shari-Ann Henry have joined voices in calling for collective efforts to protect Jamaica's children.

Their call comes in the wake of the abduction of 9-year-old Phylisa Prussia and 13-year-old Winshae Barrett of Bath, St. Thomas. The Spokespersons join the rest of the country in expressing relief over their safe return and extend commendation to those who played a role in ensuring they were found. 

In a statement, Senator Morris remarked that “The collective efforts of community members and security forces have led to the safe return of little Phylisa. This is indicative of the power that lies within the community and security forces working in tandem to weed out criminals and protect the most vulnerable among us - our children”

Further to this, Ms. Henry believes that the government has a responsibility to ensure that mechanisms are in place to guarantee the safety and protection of our children. “It is now time for us to devise sensical and meaningful social policies and proactive social programs to protect them,” she said. 

Both Spokespersons believe that all well-thinking Jamaicans have a part to play in the fight against crime. They suggest that community policing should be a core component of the country’s security apparatus. Senator Morris remarked that “Using the community policing approach, the police were able to garner information from the people of Bath St. Thomas, which helped them to find the young girls and bring them home.”

Henry is of the opinion that “The police and the community must see crime as a common enemy and work in tandem to eradicate it. Police presence in communities should not be limited to finding gangsters but should extend to serial kidnappers or any threat to the free movement of our children”.

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