MP Calls on Constituents not to Shield Criminals

Member of Parliament (MP) for St. James Southern, Hon. Homer Davis, is urging his constituents to play their part in fighting crime by telling the police what they know and refraining from shielding criminals.

“I use this opportunity to encourage my constituents to join the fight to make St. James Southern a safe place. This is a fight that we cannot afford to lose, and there are some simple things that you can do to help the process of crime-fighting. I say to my constituents tell what you know to the police or to someone you trust,” he said.

Mr. Davis, who is also Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister (Western Region), was making his contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives, on October 12.

“Stop washing the bloody clothes; stop locking the guns on their behalf; stop protecting these criminals, because soon and very soon they will turn on you who normally protect them,” he said.

Mr. Davis pointed out that the usually quiet constituency of St. James Southern has recorded several shootings and murders.

“Within the last eight [to] nine months, there have been several shootings and murders in the constituency, which have robbed families of their main breadwinners. These wanton shootings and murders cannot be allowed to continue, and it is my view that enough is enough,” he said.

He noted that up to September 26 this year, 26 murders had been committed in his constituency, compared to 18 for the entire 2021.

“Enough is enough, and as Member of Parliament, I am prepared to do everything within the law and within my powers to help the security forces to weed out the criminals from St. James Southern,” he said.

Mr. Davis pointed out that the parish of St. James recorded 342 murders in 2018, and that after a State of Emergency was declared in early 2019, murders fell dramatically to 102.

“This speaks volumes to the value of the effectiveness of the State of Emergency, not just in St James… but across Jamaica,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Davis proposed that the Ministry of National Security join forces with the Education Ministry to rehabilitate a teacher’s cottage at Niagara Primary School and retrofit it as a police station to serve the southernmost part of the constituency.

“The nearest police station from that locale is between an hour and a half and two hours’ drive,” he said.

Additionally, he suggested that the Government move swiftly to assign social workers at police stations to prevent domestic situations escalating into murders.

“I have seen where small domestic disputes end up in three, four, five, and six murders. I am not sure that the police have the technical competence and know-how to moderate and to get these factions together, so that peace can prevail,” he said.

Mr. Davis argued that social workers can and will win the trust of the citizens, especially the youth. “Social workers are trained to reach youth before they fall into the wrong group of hands,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament welcomed the new Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act 2022, which was recently passed in both Houses of Parliament.

“This piece of legislation will go a far way in curbing gun crimes, and I also want to thank the Opposition for the support given. I want to urge Jamaicans with illegal guns to take full advantage of the impending gun amnesty once it is announced,” he said.

“Fifteen years behind bars is not a joke; 15 years behind bars is not a bed of roses. Unless we have all hands on deck, reading from the same page and line, and the same book, we will continue to be dogged by crime and violence,” Mr. Davis added.