Contribution to the 2015/2016 Sectoral Debate by the Hon. Peter Bunting

The Vision of a Lawful Jamaican Society

In my first Sectoral Debate Presentation as Minister in July 2012, I said to the House that we were “On a Mission to Make Jamaica Safe and Secure.”

I made the point then that we needed a new framework of law enforcement based on:

1. Transparency, trust, and credibility;
2. Strong measures against gangs, major criminals and the people who facilitate criminal operations;
3. The structuring of the security organisations to maximise their adaptability, and effectiveness given our severe economic constraints;
4. Co-operation of all the agencies of Government in crime prevention, and
5. Accelerating the pace of the judicial process.

Three years later, I am pleased to report that we have made significant progress in each of these areas.

In this contribution I will outline the work being done by the Ministry, its Departments, and Agencies to advance this framework, and to reinforce a Culture of Lawfulness.

I will speak to the new levels of co-operation from communities, organisations and individuals, who are partnering with the security forces to stem the lawlessness and criminality that affect all of us, directly and indirectly.

Defeating lawlessness is not a quick fix. It is not a war that can be won by knee-jerk reactions and brute force. Lawlessness will only be defeated by professional law enforcement agencies working in close partnership with an engaged citizenry…READ MORE

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