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All Jamaicans Urged to Get ID

By: , September 6, 2017

The Key Point:

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says he is encouraging all residents of Mount Salem, St. James, and, by extension, every citizen of Jamaica, to get some form of identification.

The Facts

  • “Citizens of Mount Salem have suggested to us that a special pass could be created to ease the inconvenience that some of them have experienced when interfacing with the various checkpoints,” Mr. Holness noted.
  • “This is something that the National Security Council is examining. At this point, however, we can make no commitment to that, but we are examining how this could work. In the interim, we want to encourage all residents of the zone and, in fact, everyone to get proper identification where they can be processed easily and where nobody has reasons to question their identity,” he added.

The Full Story

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says he is encouraging all residents of Mount Salem, St. James, and, by extension, every citizen of Jamaica, to get some form of identification.

Speaking to journalists at a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, Western Region in Montego Bay on September 3, Mr. Holness said it is extremely important that persons take the matter of having proper identification seriously, noting that this will ensure hassle-free passage and verification of status, particularly in zones of special operations.

The press conference followed the declaration of Mount Salem in St. James as the first zone of special operations by the Prime Minister on September 1. This will last for 60 days.

This was done under the Law Reform (Zones of Special Operations) (Special Security and Community Development Measures) law, which was passed in Parliament in July.

It serves as an important piece of legislation that seeks to contain crime while safeguarding the human rights of residents and promoting community development through social-intervention initiatives.

“Citizens of Mount Salem have suggested to us that a special pass could be created to ease the inconvenience that some of them have experienced when interfacing with the various checkpoints,” Mr. Holness noted.

“This is something that the National Security Council is examining. At this point, however, we can make no commitment to that, but we are examining how this could work. In the interim, we want to encourage all residents of the zone and, in fact, everyone to get proper identification where they can be processed easily and where nobody has reasons to question their identity,” he added.

Mr. Holness said that one of the Government’s first official intervention programmes will be the holding of a community fair, which will be staged next weekend in Mount Salem.

“This fair will be focused on bringing into Mount Salem services that will assist citizens in getting identification. We will have the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), the passport office, the Electoral Office of Jamaica, representatives of the tax office to issue TRN, representatives from the Social Development Commission as well as HEART,” the Prime Minister said.

“It will be a massive undertaking, albeit an important one, that will bring the community together… bringing out the people who need identification, who need to get their health checked and who need to do business with the tax office,” Mr. Holness added.

He said it is the intention of the Government to provide the residents with the kinds of services that will make their lives a lot better.

Last Updated: September 6, 2017

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