JAMAICA | Curtailing Crime, Violence, Murders, Top Priority for the PNP says Golding

KINGSTON , Jamaica, September 17, 2023 - People’s National Party President Mark Golding says the issue of crime and violence will  be among the top priorities for a future government led by the PNP.

Mr Golding, delivering the main address at the public session of his People's National Party's Annual Conference at Kingston's National Arena, said “this JLP government has failed miserably after seven years in dealing with the critical issue of building a safe and secure society.”

The PNP president told the capacity audience  at the 85th National Conference, that “the Andrew Holness-led administration has failed in keeping his promise to make Jamaica a place where we can sleep with our windows and doors open, just as they have failed to deliver 5% growth in 4 years, and in so many other unfulfilled promises.”

“Last year we had the worst murder rate in Latin America and the Caribbean. 52.9 murders per 100,000 people in Jamaica is not acceptable,” Golding lamented.

“ Many thousands of Jamaican youths have been held in detention under these States of Emergency, often for prolonged periods, but very few have ever been charged with any serious offence ”

“Our position on crime, violence and the delivery of justice for our people remains rooted in our vision of social transformation.

We believe in a balanced approach, using both crime control as well as crime prevention measures. 

“A balanced approach is essential to social harmony and crime reduction. A more cohesive society is essential to reducing discontent and violence in society.

Whether we are dealing with gender, race or class, I am hearing the prophetic words of Peter Tosh: there will be no peace without equal rights and justice,” Golding said.

He explained that “ the main approach to reducing crime and violence is a mindset change that will guide the next PNP government. Peace cannot be achieved through oppressive laws and

government badness that trample on the basic rights and freedoms of the people. Peace and unity are directly linked to equal rights and justice,” he told his audience who travelled from all over the island to hear his address.

“Spending on the JDF more than doubled over the seven years that the JLP has been in power, which is twice the rate at which spending on the police force increased.

Yet Jamaica has a crime problem, and it is the police force, not the military, that has the responsibility to fight crime and needs to be supported and empowered to do so effectively.

“ The increasing militarization of law enforcement is not a strategy that we endorse. We must give law enforcement the tools they need to be effective. We will focus on properly equipping our police and the justice system with the legislation, tools, technology and human resources to carry out their work. ”

This has come in tandem with the failed strategy of using States of Emergency as a routing crime-fighting measure.

This is a very dangerous situation, because every Jamaican's basic rights and freedoms are suspended when they are within a State of Emergency.

Many thousands of Jamaican youths have been held in detention under these States of Emergency, often for prolonged periods, but very few have ever been charged with any serious offence.

Many have lost their jobs and been stigmatised as a result of this misuse of the State of Emergency.

It is costing taxpayers millions and millions of dollars, as the court awards compensation to those who have been wrongly detained in those SOEs.

We consider this to be a serious abuse of power, as there is nothing routine about a State of Emergency.

It only exists and is intended to be used as the constitution’s mechanism of last resort by which the State can protect itself from subversion.

That is why we have taken the matter to court for a definitive ruling. We will always defend our democracy and the basic rights and freedoms of our people.

The increasing militarization of law enforcement is not a strategy that we endorse. We must give law enforcement the tools they need to be effective.

We will focus on properly equipping our police and the justice system with the legislation, tools, technology and human resources to carry out their work.

Those who choose a life of badness and won’t change their ways will face severe consequences. We will be resolute in coming down on those who insist on perpetuating badness.

From the law enforcement perspective, what is required is carefully-designed legislation that allows spear-fishing that enables the effective prosecution of dangerous criminals, not casting a wide net that makes the many who are good suffer for the few who are bad. 

I have already designed the essential elements of the legislation to enable the police to take dangerous criminals off the streets for a reasonable time (Ihave suggested 42 days) under a court-supervised process that allows a prosecutable case to be built, where there is credible intelligence that needs to be turned into evidence.

Jamaica’s chronic problem of crime and violence reflects the failures within our society as a whole. We must address the systemic weaknesses that create the conditions for so many of our youths to become attracted by a life of serious crime. We cannot continue to ignore them, and expect the security forces to then suppress the resulting chaos in the society. 

As Jimmy Cliff sang, we must “treat the youths right or you’ll be playing with dynamite”.

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