Crime Down By 42 Percent Over Last Year to Date

Prime Minister Bruce Golding said that serious crime this year is down by 42% over the comparable period last year.

“The intensified effort being conducted by the security forces since May of last year have produced remarkable results. I do get weekly updates as to the level of crime that has taken place and the most recent update I got yesterday, which takes us up to Sunday the 20th, indicates that since the start of this year we have had a 42 per cent reduction in the murder rate. That 42 per cent reduction amounts to 150 less murders committed in that period compared to last year,” Mr Golding said.

Mr. Golding was speaking at the opening ceremony of the anti corruption conference of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) in Kingston on March 22.  The conference was organized by the Jamaica Constabulary Force and United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The CBSI is a collaboration of the USA and Caribbean nations to strengthen regional security. It was introduced by USA President Barack Obama at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Prime Minister said that the government had introduced “legislative and statutory muscle” into the justice system including whistleblower legislation and an independent commissioner for crimes committed by the security forces. He noted that the bill to create a special prosecutor is being debated in Parliament.

The CBSI law enforcement, anti corruption conference is a forum to strengthen regional cooperation. It will launch the regional anti corruption network for all participating nations and their agencies which is aimed at reducing drug trafficking, increasing public safety and security and promoting social justice. It involves all CARICOM members, the USA, the UK, Canada and other nations who have Caribbean maritime borders. Regional military and police chiefs are also attending.

Issued By: The Office of the Prime Minister

Audio Clip Below:

{audio}mp3/CrimeDown42percent.mp3{/audio}