Prime Minister Calls on Jamaicans to Report Criminals

Prime Minister, the Most Hon Andrew Holness, is again calling on Jamaicans to assist the police in the fight against crime, especially in identifying criminals in their communities.

“Nobody is invading Jamaica to commit crime; it’s the people in our communities. We know them and we see them. They are our children and they are our relatives. Our silence encourages them,” he said.

The Prime Minister was speaking at a ground-breaking ceremony today (April 24), for the construction of 230 housing units as part of the Foreshore Estate development in Delacree Pen, South West St. Andrew.

Mr. Holness stressed that the Government is doing as much as it can with the resources available to put measures in place to protect innocent citizens and observe and secure their rights, whilst bringing down the crime rate.

“We can only achieve it with a partnership, and your role in this partnership as good citizens is to provide us with the information. The police cannot act in a clinical and surgical way to deal with the criminals without having intelligence,” Mr. Holness emphasised.

He said much of the intelligence is garnered from citizens who are willing to tell what they know, adding that persons should not fear providing information, as they will be protected.

“We have demonstrated that if you give us the information, and we have given you the avenues to do it – Crime Stop and the special number that the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the police have (provided) – your own security and confidentiality will be protected,” he said.

“Now is the time for cooperation; now is the time for partnership,” the Prime Minister said.