KINGSTON, Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the government’s multifaceted approach to tackling crime, including social transformational initiatives, strategic investments in technology and infrastructure and legislative changes, is yielding dividends.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness during the budget debate on Thursday.Holness, speaking during the debate on the 2024/25 national budget, told legislators on Thursday that there has been a sharp reduction in major crimes, resulting in the country’s lowest rate in 24 years.
Holness said Jamaica recorded a 10 per cent reduction in major crimes, including murders, shootings, rapes, robberies, aggravated assault, and break-ins in 2023, when compared to 2022, noting that this downward trend has continued in 2024.
“Notably, the number of active gangs in Jamaica decreased by approximately 36 per cent in 2023, to an estimated 176 gangs, down from an estimated 276 known gangs in 2018. That is a massive reduction,” he told legislators.
Earlier this week, Jamaica’s new police commissioner, Dr Kevin Blake, assumed office amid grim statistics that the island recorded 31 murders last week, pushing the murder toll so far this year to 223 as compared to 252 for the same period last year.
Figures released by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), showed that for the period January to March 16, Jamaica recorded 223 murders with last week’s figure of 31 killings pushing the murder toll over the 200 figure up from the previous week of 192.
Last year, Jamaica recorded 1, 393 murders, 118 fewer homicides than during 2022.
Holness told Parliament that former police commissioner, Major General Antony Anderson, can claim meaningful progress and success in the transformation of the JCF, in the areas of organisational leadership, structure, doctrine and culture, infrastructure and technology, and operational strategy and tactics.
“We are now beginning to see the positive impact of the transformed JCF as a force for good. Let me express our appreciation and commendation to Major General Antony Anderson for a career of effective leadership and sterling service to Jamaica’s National Security. I also welcome Dr. Kevin Blake, our new Commissioner, and task him to continue the transformation of the JCF,” Holness added.
Prime Minister Holness said that his administration is continuing to invest significantly in the JCF’s transformation.
He said to this end, the government continues to build out the JCF’s human resources to keep ahead of attrition and commensurate with the law-and-order challenge, through a robust programme of recruitment and training of more than 2,000 officers.
The government said an additional 280 cameras are to be procured to be installed in downtown Kingston under the “JamaicaEye Programme”, and an estimated J$650 million (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.008 cents) is being invested in the JCF’s mobile radio and microwave data networks to improve its communications infrastructure, thereby increasing islandwide coverage from 67 to 90 per cent by 2028.
“We continue to upgrade and renew the JCF’s fleet with the procurement of over 1,600 motor vehicles, to date. Twenty-nine police facilities are slated for renovation this financial year, with investments amounting to approximately $460 million under the Project ROC initiative, which is aimed at converting all police stations into modern, citizen-friendly workplaces,” Holness said.
Construction is also sscheduled to start for the St. Catherine North Police Station and the Westmoreland Divisional Headquarters.
Holness indicated that the government’s social intervention programmes in communities affected by high crime rates are mainly effected through the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) under the Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs).
He said these are designed to be long-term interventions that will focus on the improvement of amenities, infrastructure and human resource development in the designated communities, telling legislators that the physical and social transformation in many of these spaces is evident.
Holness mentioned the rehabilitation of just over 17.5 kilometres of roadways and the buildout of water and drainage infrastructure in Mount Salem, Denham Town, Greenwich Town and August Town at a cost of more than J$750 million.
Additionally, seven primary schools in Denham Town, Greenwich Town and Mount Salem have been rehabilitated at a cost of approximately J$138 million.
Two primary schools are currently being rehabilitated in August Town while three have also benefited from the creation of safe passages, which are important for students to traverse main corridors to and from school.
Holness said the Zones of Special Operations have yielded success in the reduction of murders in the seven designated communities, namely Mount Salem, Denham Town, Greenwich Town, August Town, Norwood, Parade Gardens and Savanna-la-Mar.
“These communities collectively recorded a 40 per cent reduction in murders when we compare pre-ZOSO figures of 2017 with 2023,” he told Parliament.
