File photo
.png)
Peter Bunting, Opposition Spokesman on National Security
Opposition Spokesman on National Security Peter Bunting believes a Zone of Special Operations should be implemented in Kingston Central.
His position follows the declaration of a Zone of Special Operations in Norwood, St. James.
In justifying the ZOSO in Norwood, Police Commissioner Major General Anderson said there have been 15 murders and 16 shootings since January.
But in an interview with Radio Jamaica News, Mr. Bunting said the figures for Kingston Central are even more staggering.
"In Central Kingston, there have been 12 murders since the first of May, so it is actually running at a much higher rate recently and in the Kingston Central Police Division, which to a large extent coincides with the constituency of Central Kingston, the murder rate is up quite substantially - over 40 per cent this year. So I'm not objecting to a ZOSO being created for Norwood, but I think we need one for Central Kingston as well," he suggested.
Still, Mr. Bunting declared that increased police presence alone is not enough to address the crime problem in the division.
He noted that "if any gains in reducing violent crime are to be sustained, it has to be combined with a social investment component." However, he said it appears Central Kingston is being treated as if "they only warrant the security measures without the social investment measures."
comments powered by Disqus
All feeds
