National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang is reporting that Jamaica's murder tally since the start of the year remains below the figure reported during the corresponding period in 2021.
He has conceded however that there is still room for improvement.
Noting that this year's rate "is about five per cent below last year, which been so for some time," Dr Chang admitted that he was not "comfortable" with that and was hoping that before long the country will begin registering double-figure reduction in killings.
That target was being thwarted at the moment, he said, by the multiple killings taking place in several shooting incidents.
In the last two such incidents last week, three persons died when seven were shot in Maverly, St. Andrew, and another three perished when eight were shot in Hendon, St. James.
Not only do these horrific incidents spike the number of deaths; they also have a crippling effect on the community, Dr Chang observed.
According to the latest statistics on the website of the Jamaica Costabulary Force, up to March 20 there had been 320 killings, a five per cent decline from the 337 people slain during the corresponding period last year.
The latest figures do not include the two triple-killings and other murders committed over the last seven days.
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