Gov’t Contemplating Another State of Public Emergency
By: , November 28, 2022
Photo: Adrian Walker
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (second left), is given an update on activities in the Kingston Eastern Police Division by Sergeant Marvin Wallace (left), during a visit with members of the security forces stationed at a State of Public Emergency (SOE) checkpoint within the area, on Monday (November 28). Also listening (from third left) are Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Minister, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang; Police Commissioner, Major General Antony Anderson; Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte; and Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) with Responsibility for Information, Hon. Robert Morgan.
Photo: Adrian Walker
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (second right), is updated on activities in the Kingston Eastern Police Division by Commanding Officer, Superintendent Tommie-Lee Chambers (right), while visiting members of the security forces stationed at a State of Public Emergency (SOE) checkpoint in the area, on Monday (November 28). Also listening (from left) are Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Minister, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang; and Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte.
Photo: Adrian Walker
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (centre), greets a member of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) during a visit with members of the security forces stationed at a State of Public Emergency (SOE) checkpoint within the Kingston Eastern Division, on Monday (November 28). With them (from second left) are Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte, and Commanding Officer for the Kingston Eastern Police Division, Superintendent Tommie-Lee Chambers.The Full Story
The Government is contemplating the declaration of another State of Public Emergency (SOE), as part of ongoing crime-fighting efforts.
This was disclosed by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, while speaking with members of the security forces at an SOE checkpoint near the Mountain View Police Station in Kingston, on Monday (November 28). He was visiting areas in the East Kingston Police Division.
“It is certainly being contemplated by the Government to declare a new SOE under new circumstances and with new advice. It is well within our Constitution so to do. We are watching the situation very carefully to see whether or not there are any adverse changes as a result of the SOE coming to an end,” he said.
The SOEs, now in effect in several parishes and police divisions islandwide, will expire at midnight on Tuesday (November 29).
These are the parishes of Clarendon, St. Catherine, St. James, Westmoreland, and Hanover and specified areas in Kingston and St. Andrew.
Mr. Holness said the SOEs have been effective, with proven results in enhancing public safety and security.
He pointed out that in areas where security operations have been declared, there have been reductions in murders.
“What we can say, and what I have heard from all members of the Force and what I have heard from members of the community, is that the SOEs work and that they have saved lives. In this entire area, in this police division, we have only had two murders in the two weeks of the SOEs. This, coming from, sometimes, in excess of 30 murders, and those two murders were outside of the SOE zones. The point of fact is, this is a tool that works,” the Prime Minister asserted.
Mr. Holness further noted that the enhanced security measure assists in increasing the security forces’ resources.
He said it provides an added layer of public safety and security, particularly during the Christmas season when there is increased demand on the JCF for issues such as traffic management and public order.
“The other critical point to note about the SOEs is the expansion of the Force that it creates. We are able to utilise, not just joint operations… between the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), but the JDF is able to undertake certain operations by themselves because the SOEs afford them some amount of policing power, and it has been working,” Prime Minister Holness stated.