Police Deploy Additional Resources to Bog Walk

Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, has assured residents of Bog Walk that measures are being put in place to stem the recent spate of crime in the area.

He said the police has deployed additional resources to the community.

The Minister was addressing a community meeting at the New Life Tabernacle Church in the St. Catherine community on October 31 after a tour of the area, during which he visited with grieving relatives of persons, who were recently murdered.

Among the incidents was the robbery and murder of four men earlier this month, who were transporting a payroll for China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. (CHEC).

Minister Bunting told the residents, that the visit, which also included Member of Parliament for North Central St. Catherine, Hon. Natalie Neita Headley; Police Commissioner, Dr. Carl Williams and other police officers; and a team from the Ministry, was to assure the residents of the determination to end the violence, and to “show our support to the community, and the families, who have lost loved ones.”

For his part, Commissioner Williams called for the support of residents in the crime fighting effort. He noted that for many years, Bog Walk had zero murders.

“We need the support of each and everyone to beat this monster of crime. We need the communities to speak out against the gangs; you have to speak out against the gangsters, they are not protectors,” he said.

Dr. Williams told the gathering that the police are very close in capturing those responsible for the recent incidents, “but even so, there will still be work to do…for your support to convict them. We must do everything that we can to return Bog Walk to what it used to be.”

Meanwhile, Minister Bunting, informed that CHEC will be re-organising its payroll system.

“They have assured us that they will be able to make adjustments in how they deal with payrolls so that there is not a (lot of cash) moving around. Wherever that occurs, the temptation is great for organized criminals,” he pointed out.

Minister Bunting also urged other businesses to utilize electronic systems for paying employees, noting that “banks have very sophisticated ways to facilitate company payrolls, such as electronically putting credit on cards.”