Security Forces Establish Control in Tivoli Gardens

Jamaica’s Public Defender, Earl Witter, has assured that the security forces have established control in Tivoli Gardens.
“I think it is very clear that the police are entirely in control at Tivoli Gardens at this time and certainly have been for more than 24 hours,” he said in an interview with JIS News today (May 26).
The Public Defender; President of the Red Cross in Jamaica, Dr. Jaslin Salmon and Political Ombudsman, Bishop Herro Blair, were requested by Prime Minister, Hon. Bruce Golding, during a meeting yesterday (May 25), to go into the community and investigate reports about the manner in which the operation was being conducted and to interview residents.
Mr. Witter said he and the team were afforded access to buildings that had been cleared by the security forces and were able to interview residents of those buildings, who were mostly women, children and elderly persons.
He said that they complained about the lack of food, particularly for the young. There were also complaints about residents not being able to get medication and how to access medical care.
“We endeavoured to ensure that the Ground Commander made the necessary arrangements for those who needed medical care to have it, even at makeshift facilities that had been set up primarily for injured servicemen. A number of civilians had been sent or taken and treated,” Mr. Witter informed.
He said that the Red Cross was able to take details about prescriptions and the particular types of medication that were needed, and “my understanding is that the Red Cross would be seeing to the procurement of medication.”
The mandate of the Office of the Public Defender is to investigate allegations of injustice caused by action taken by any agency of the state, Ministry or department or government.