Security Minister Takes Part in Public Fora in New York

Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips, left the island on November 5 for New York and Washington, D.C., to meet with members of the overseas Jamaican community, to discuss several issues, including crime and violence. This is an on-going initiative among the Government of Jamaica, the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ), and the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS).
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Gilbert Scott, told JIS News that the Minister would be participating in a number of public fora in New York, dubbed ‘Anti Crime/Drug Campaign’, the first of which was held yesterday (November 6). The second will be held today (November 7).
Similar fora, the Permanent Secretary explained, were held at various centres in Jamaica, before being taken overseas.
“We’re taking them overseas, where there are significant Jamaican populations. We’ve already been to Toronto, Canada. We’ve been to South Florida. This trip takes the Minister to New York, and in early December, we’ll be going to the United Kingdom,” he noted.
Mr. Scott also informed JIS News that the Minister would be meeting with ‘American Friends of Jamaica’. The group, which will be hosting its 22nd Annual Jamaica Awards and Benefit Gala, has invited Dr. Phillips to be their special guest for the evening, on Saturday, November 8.
From New York, Minister Phillips would go to Washington, D.C., where he will meet with senior officials and government representatives, “to strengthen the co-operation that exists between Jamaica and the United States, in the fight against criminality, and in particular the fight against the international drug trade,” Mr. Scott said.
The Minister will be accompanied in New York by Senior Director for Strategic Planning, Policy, Research and Evaluation, Annmarie Barnes. On the Washington leg of the trip, he will be joined by the Permanent Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin.
Dr. Phillips is scheduled to return to the island on November 13.