Improvement in Security in 2008 – Derrick Smith

Minister of National Security, Derrick Smith, has said that Jamaicans can expect a constant and gradual improvement in security in the New Year.
“It’s not going to happen suddenly, but with the new Commissioner in office, with a new commitment, with the joint task force now fully in operation, we expect a gradual improvement for 2008,” he stated.
The Minister was speaking at a smelting exercise held on Monday (Dec. 31) at the Caribbean Cement Company’s smelting plant in Kingston, where more than 2,500 old weapons in the possession of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) were destroyed.
Weighing approximately half a tonne, the weapons included sub-machine guns and rifles.
Minister Smith informed that the exercise was the first of many to destroy approximately two tonnes of old firearms.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jevene Bent, said that the weapons included guns that were seized by the police and have been through the courts, as well as police guns that were no longer in use. “They are defective and cannot be repaired,” she informed, noting that also included were “guns belonging to citizens, who would have left them in police safekeeping from back in the 1950s”.
She explained that before being smelted, the larger weapons, such as rifles and sub-machine guns, were cut up into manageable pieces using a gun crunching machine, which was donated in 2005 by the British Government.
Monday’s smelting exercise was the third since 2003, and the first being carried out at the Caribbean Cement plant. Previously, the weapons were destroyed by Caribbean Metal Casting Company Limited.