Prime Minister Condemns Gun Attack on Cherry Tree Lane in Clarendon

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has declared a “firm resolve” that persons who were in any way involved in Sunday’s (August 11) gun attack on Cherry Tree Lane in Clarendon “will be brought to justice”.

Some eight persons were shot and killed and nine injured during the incident.

Speaking during an emergency press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday (August 12), Mr. Holness, who empathised with the families and wider community, described the attack as an act of terror.

“I feel the pain and share the distress of the families, the community and, indeed, the entire Jamaica, and I also pray for the recovery of those who were injured. It is a criminal act, it is against our laws, it is an attack on the public order. The intention was not only to harm the victims, [or] only to spread terror in the local community. This act was designed to spread terror in the nation,” he stated.

Mr. Holness maintained that the incident “is one which cannot be allowed to stand in any way, lest it become the normal routine of criminals”.

The Prime Minister informed that persons overseas, others incarcerated, as well as multiple gangs are reportedly connected to the killings.

“Every gang, every person who in any way facilitated, provided their arms or were involved and pulled the trigger themselves, we will find you and we will bring you to justice. I want that to be absolutely clear. We will not treat this as another criminal act. We will treat this as an act of terror,” Mr. Holness stated.

He said the security forces have been instructed to launch an all-out assault on the gangs that were involved.

“There is no way that eight persons can be killed in one incident in Jamaica and the State stands as if nothing happened. No. Every gang member, every gang will feel the full force of the State. This must never happen again in Jamaica,” Mr. Holness declared.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister encouraged communities deemed to be too sympathetic towards gangs, by giving them “succour and protection”, to use the opportunity to “draw the line in the sand and separate the gangs from our communities”.

“The gangs are organised economic enterprises; they parade as if they are in the community to protect you. But no, that’s not what they are there for. They are there to use your community as cover to carry out illegal activities and to make profit from it. They are there to organise violence,” Mr. Holness stated.

He added that operations are already under way at all levels to tackle the issue, pointing out that support will be sought from international partners, “to get those who are overseas [and] are facilitating, directing and funding the criminal operations here”.

“No stone will be left unturned. I want to give the Jamaican people the reassurance that your Government will use this as the opportunity to deal with the gangs once and for all,” Prime Minister Holness declared.