CMOC To Increase Awareness About National Crime Consensus

The Crime Monitoring and Oversight Committee (CMOC) will be increasing sensitisation about the National Consensus on Crime, as the body seeks to build national solidarity on the strategies surrounding crime fighting.

The consensus is an agreement involving the government, opposition, civil society, and the private sector to support a process to transform Jamaica into a safe, secure, and investment-friendly society.

CMOC is the body tasked with monitoring the implementation of the consensus and reporting to the public.

Speaking at a recent JIS Think Tank, Chairman of CMOC, Lloyd Distant, said that the consensus provides a full scope of the actions needed to tackle crime over the short and long-term.

He noted that it is a highly detailed plan, which outlines the priorities under thematic areas called ‘consensus pillars’.

Among the priority areas are the elimination of criminal gangs; reintegrating troubled communities; getting rid of corruption, collusion, and money laundering; and reforming and modernisng the police force and justice system.

Mr. Distant said that the consensus works based on a bi-partisan process, noting that the political parties are united in their resolve to deal with crime, and supporting the implementation of the agreed actions.

It also calls for a whole-of-government approach, with every ministry and agency making compliance with law and order a priority, he added.

Mr. Distant said that the Government is committed to taking the necessary steps, under the consensus, to address the issue of crime.

He appealed for buy-in from the public, as the transformation to a safer, more just society will require a coordinated national effort, with all citizens and residents, regardless of gender, age, or socio-economic status, supporting the goal of ensuring a sustainable reduction of crime and violence in Jamaica.

“My appeal to all Jamaicans is that there is a consensus on crime. The government has a crime plan, and what we (CMOC) are measuring and reporting on is progress in achieving the milestones and key performance indicators (KPIs) within that plan,” Mr. Distant said.

He indicated that CMOC will host its next press conference in late February to give an update on the achievements under the consensus.

“We continue to give consistent and accurate reporting on these achievements, and we come up with a scorecard that we believe will certainly make it easier for persons to [measure] progress on achieving a safe and investment-friendly society,” Mr. Distant told JIS News.