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The Government is fully committed to protecting Jamaica's borders from infiltration by criminal networks seeking to engage in illicit activities under the guise of humanitarian appeals. Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson, gave the assurance in the Senate on Friday (Jan. 22), which came against the background of concerns about the guns for drugs trade, particularly between...

National Security Minister, Senator Dwight Nelson, has announced plans to introduce Anti-Gang Legislation, as part of the Government's efforts to curtail crime in Jamaica. The Minister said the legislation, which the Ministry is seeking to pursue in collaboration with several key stakeholders, is intended to target, infiltrate and dismantle gangs, and identify and arrest all members. In addition, he said...

Although last year the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) made significant strides in arresting and prosecuting corrupt members, Assistant Commissioner in charge of Anti-corruption, ACP Justin Felice, says that theforce is moving towards a more preventative style of eradicating corruption. In an interview with JIS News on Wednesday (January 20), ACP Felice asserted that the force does not measure success by...

The House of Representatives on Tuesday (January 19) passed legislation to make it compulsory to convert Government securities into a dematerialised security or electronic format. Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, who piloted the Bill, explained that the move will provide for "the speedy settlement and trading of securities, and result in cost-savings and risk mitigation...

Chaplain of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Rev. Webster Edwards, has urged members of the nation's security forces to display strength, courage and resoluteness in executing their duties, in the face of challenges, which they may face.' "So very often you (security forces) bear the brunt of the wrath of those whom you are seeking to serve. The security services...

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has established a base camp in Haiti from which all Caricom donations and aid staff are being dispatched. The United Nations is the leading international support on the ground and the JDF is included in daily morning meetings at their headquarters and will play a role in the relief efforts as required. This was reported...

The Government is moving to alleviate overcrowding in the island's prisons, with Cabinet's approval of measures for the full implementation of the electronic monitoring of criminal offenders. Electronic monitoring is a surveillance system, used by correctional services globally, to monitor the activities of convicted offenders who have been granted conditional release from incarceration. The process involves attaching an anklet to...

Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson, has said that the Ministry, through the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), will be vigorously pursuing alternatives to incarceration this year. In a speech read by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Major Richard Reese, during the DCS' thanksgiving and commitment service at the St. Paul's United Church in Kingston today (January...

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is crediting its close collaboration with the Customs Department for the seizure of 12 guns and 730 assorted rounds of ammunition at Port Bustamante in Kingston on Monday (January 11). The cache of illegal weapons and ammunition was discovered hidden in cargo declared to contain two barrels, a compressor and power washer. An X-ray conducted...

Acting Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington has heaped praise on the Contraband Enforcement Team (CET ), Customs and Police and members of the Transnational Crime and Narcotics Division (TCND) following the seizure yesterday at Port Bustamante in Kingston of 12 guns and over 700 assorted rounds of ammunition. Commenting on the work of the police, Mr Ellington said he was...

Jamaica has no immediate plans to implement the use of the millimeter wave machine, used for electronic body scanning, at the nation's airports. Director of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA), Lieutenant Colonel Oscar Darby, told JIS News that while the machine is very useful, "we don't know as yet the extent to which it can be operated in our...

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is planning to increase personnel by 800 recruits this year. This would increase the size of the JCF to 9,200, and police complement to 13,000, including the additional 1,800 members of the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF) and 2,000 Special Constables. This was revealed by Communications Director for the JCF, Karl Angell, at a press...