National Security Minister Met With Residents Of Flankers

Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips, accompanied by Commissioner of Police, Francis Forbes and other officials of the Ministry, visited the community of Flankers on Tuesday (Oct. 28) and met with relatives of the men who were reportedly killed by the police at the weekend.
Dr. Phillips went to the scene where the tragic event unfolded early last Saturday morning, after which he met with community leaders and other residents at the Flankers Primary and Junior High School, where he openly expressed sympathy and regret at the killings.
“I must say that my heart grieves and I am sorry as a Jamaican, I am sorry as the Minister responsible (for National Security), that this event could have occurred. Not only do I grieve because of what happened to those Jamaican people, but I grieve because of the effect this has had on the lives, on the minds and the consciousness of so many of the other people in the community,” Dr. Phillips pointed out.
Minister Phillips called on the residents of Flankers and other communities across the country to unite with the police to effectively deal with criminal elements.
“Unless we overcome the scourge of criminality, then the kind of prospects for development which we seek will be very difficult to achieve.for without the support and goodwill of the citizens of this country, it will not be possible to isolate the criminals and deal with them so that the rest of us can get on with development,” he stressed.
Dr. Phillips hastened to assure citizens that the investigations into the shooting of two men and a woman in the community had commenced, and that there would be “no cover-ups”.
Announcing that there would be a special member of the community named to be on the investigating team to act as liaison, Dr. Phillips stressed that “transparency was critical and essential to rebuilding the trust which must exist if people and the security forces are to move together. if we are going to face the challenges of the day”.
The National Security Minister urged citizens to demonstrate levels of understanding for some of the severe difficulties members of the security forces went through daily, as they were called upon to put their lives on the line for the security of all Jamaicans.
“The battle against crime is a war that we must win, but it is a war that can only be won if the decent and hardworking majority of Jamaicans are able and feel trusting enough to unite with the decent majority of the men and women in the security forces,” Dr. Phillips noted.
Commissioner Forbes who also addressed the many community members who participated in the meeting, expressed his sorrow at the “pain, grief and the loss” the people were undergoing as a result of the recent shootings and subsequent demonstrations.