PM Holness says government determined to dismantle gangs

   

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has reiterated that his administration is determined to dismantle criminal gangs wreaking havoc across the island.

 

During a policy speech on Tuesday evening, Mr. Holness again argued that economic stability can only be sustained if the crime problem is tackled effectively.

 

Mr. Holness said the government is encouraged by the recent decline in murders and major crimes, but adds that the situation could improve significantly with the dismantling of major gangs.

 

"The number of active gangs we have managed to slash that by over 50 per cent, dropping from 350 in 2016 to approximately 170 today. We have struggled with homicides in Jamaica. And sometimes we are inclined to think that we are a violent society and violence has pervaded the national consciousness. We have become accepting and permissive of violence, to the point where we use violence to resolve conflicts. That is true. But Jamaica really has a gang problem. In other words, over the past 20 years, more than 75 per cent of our murders have been committed by gangs. So it's not really a personal violence problem.... In other words, if we removed gangs from the equation, our murder rate would be probably below the regional average," he suggested. 

 

Some 1,011 murders have been recorded so far this year, but this is 244 less than the number of homicides recorded for the corresponding period last year.

 

Prime Minister Holness has argued that the 20 per cent drop is a clear sign that the security measures implemented by the government are bearing fruit.

 

Some 792 people have been injured in violent attacks this year, compared with 893 last year.

 

There is a nine per cent reduction in shootings and a 25 per cent reduction in reported cases of rape.

 

The gun has featured in 844 murders recorded so far this year.

 

Thirty children are among the total homicide victims. 

 

In the meantime, members of the security forces have seized 688 illegal guns and 11,387 rounds of ammunition so far this year.

 

Fifty assault rifles, 20 sub-machine guns, 525 pistols and 53 revolvers are among the weapons seized.