Sustained Investment Vital for Public Safety

Minister of National Security and Peace, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, has emphasised that sustained investment is critical to strengthening the national security infrastructure, enhancing public safety, and preserving the recent gains in crime reduction.

Addressing the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives during its examination of the 2026/27 Estimates of Expenditure at Gordon House on March 5, Dr. Chang noted that the comprehensive crime‑fighting strategies are delivering significant, measurable results, revealing a sustained downward trend in violence.

The Minister reported that recent national crime trends indicate significant improvements in Jamaica’s public safety landscape, with a 43 per cent reduction in murders, a 32 per cent decline in shootings, and a 17 per cent decrease in overall criminal activities.

“These outcomes reflect the cumulative impact of multisectoral commitment to social investment, sustained investment leading to enhanced law-enforcement capabilities, policy legislative reform and operational improvements within the  security forces,” he pointed out.

To this end, Dr. Chang affirmed that the Ministry remains steadfast in its commitment to continued investment, while actively forging partnerships with citizens, the private sector, and key government entities to address the issue of crime and violence.

“The substantial investments we have made to reinforce our security apparatus, enhance local law enforcement, improve border control, and strengthen our crime-prevention and rehabilitation programmes, are testament to the commitment of the Government and the relentless efforts of our security forces. The numbers are clear. Our approach is working,” he said.

Dr. Chang asserted that “the continued decline in murders and major crime is no coincidence”.

“These results are the direct outcome of the strategic, data-driven, and targeted initiatives created by the Ministry,” he declared.

A budget of $126.58 billion has been allocated to the Ministry for fiscal year 2026/27.

This represents a $28.6 billion reduction, largely due to the transfer of the Jamaica Defence Force to the Ministry of Defence.

The recurrent budget stands at $123.913 billion, while the capital budget amounts to $2.67 billion.

A total of $1 billion has been allocated for the continued expansion of the JamaicaEye programme, $170 million for strengthening the communication network to ensure resilience and reliability, $2.16 billion for the ongoing buildout of the C5 Security Business Solution Centre, and $79 million towards broader security enhancements.

Additionally, $111 million has been budgeted for social investment programmes within the Ministry.