Senator Newby Wants Parliamentary Committee to Examine Garrisons

KINGSTON — Minister of State for Youth, Sports and Culture, Senator Warren Newby, on October 28 tabled a motion in the Senate, calling for the establishment of a Joint Select Committee of Parliament to examine the issue of garrison communities in Jamaica.

The private members motion requested that the committee examine the circumstances, which gave rise to garrison communities, and identify appropriate steps, legislation, programmes of work and timelines for the dismantling of those areas.

It also urged the development of a programme, involving academia and other members of the public, to do away with garrison areas, and for the reintegration of the residents of these communities into the formal state systems of justice, law and order.

According to Senator Newby, “Jamaica's political landscape has been tarnished by the influence of criminal elements on the democratic process in a number of constituencies and communities in particular in Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine."

He noted that these criminal elements have captured communities, influenced political outcomes and controlled contracts for work on behalf of the state, in order to promote a political order of their choice, and to further their own criminal intentions.

Senator Newby said that for many years, civil society has been calling for the dismantling of garrison constituencies and communities, and there are studies, which make recommendations for these communities to be disbanded.

By Latonya Linton, JIS Reporter