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Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding has suggested that given the evidence of abuse by some police personnel, the use of extraordinary powers could be restricted to senior levels within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). These officers would be subject to stringent oversight and accountability, Mr. Golding explained, as he made his presentation in the 2010/11 Budget Debate in Gordon...

Registrar at the Office of the Children's Registry (OCR), Mrs. Carla Francis Edie, is imploring persons to make a report, once they know or suspect that a child is being abused. She contended that the high number of unreported child abuse cases is resulting in undue suffering for many of the nation's youngsters, and urged individuals to speak out, even...

Canadian High Commissioner, His Excellency Stephen Hallihan, says local authorities have identified legal framework as a key priority for maritime security, as part of a partnership agreement signed between Jamaica and Canada in 2007. He was giving the keynote address on the final day of a two-day Canada-Jamaica Maritime Security Policy Workshop, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, Friday...

Leader of the Opposition, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, has noted that Jamaicans need to work together to find new approaches to fight the social issue of crime that is affecting the country. Mrs. Simpson Miller, who was speaking in the 2010/11 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives Thursday (April 15), assured the Government of the Opposition's cooperation...

Minister of National Security, Senator Dwight Nelson, says there is a need for "hard policing tactics" in dealing with crime and violence in the Jamaican society, but that these tactics must be complemented with softer approaches. He said that, although some stakeholders in the society, invariably, question the strategies employed by the police to reduce crime and violence and decry,...

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr. Donovan Stanberry, has stated that new measures to combat praedial larceny will go beyond the use of receipt books to implementation of full traceability measures. He said the Ministry is seeking to attack the problem from all angles and is focused on devising ways to strengthen traceability and further sensitise...

In a release Monday (April 12) the Police said that they are aware that a number of organizations are planning to march on Gordon House Tuesday (April 13). Acting Commissioner of Police (ACP)Owen Ellington. In light of that development, the following advice was issued: "The Police are therefore advising members of the public of the relevant laws pertaining to public...

Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson, says that too many Jamaicans were failing to offer the level of support and cooperation needed by the police in doing their duties. The Minister was paying tribute to Constable Ainsroy Rushton at a thanksgiving service at the Newlands Seventh Day Adventist Church, St. Catherine on Sunday (April 11). National Security...

Sectoral databases for crime and child protection are to be developed during the next year, as part of the institutionalisation of the DevInfo project, which is being implemented by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). According to the 2010/11 Estimates of Expenditure, an additional $12 million has been allocated for the project to continue to establish JamStats as a reliable...

Like many parents, Miss Andrea Bryan would always worry about the safety of her nine-year old daughter Katherine, when she was not at home. "She is very involved in after school activities such as gymnastics, and activities at church. She also goes on a lot of field trips. We can't be here all the time to protect her," she says....

The engineering consultant hired to inspect the National Stadium has concluded that the facility "is as safe as it was built". The consultant, Hue Lyew Chin Engineering Ltd, was hired in the wake a quote attributed to the Mayor of Kingston in one of the daily newspaper that the National Stadium was "a death trap". Hue Lyew Chin Engineering Ltd,...

The Poverty Reduction - Capacity Building and Training for Communities programme, which is being executed by the Ministry of National Security, will be spending $62.5 million on phase two works in 2010/11. The funds will be spent on the implementation of capacity building projects, which are geared to youth development, parenting education and community violence prevention. These include vocational skills...