St. Andrew South MP hoping for more lasting fix to crime than SOE

By Halshane Burke    

 

Member of Parliament for St. Andrew South Western Dr. Angela Brown Burke is hopeful that a more permanent fix can be found to the crime problem plaguing the country.

 

This comes after a State of Public Emergency was declared for the St. Andrew South Police Division and sections of the St. Andrew Central Police Division.

 

Dr. Brown Burke says the majority of her constituency falls within the SOE.

 

She says the SOE is not an ideal crime fighting tool and cannot be seen as a lasting solution to the problem facing the country. 

 

"So my preference would not be to have that. But I'm not a crime fighter. And I have to depend on the JCF and those who are in crime fighting to fight the crime that they are facing. And so they have decided that this is what they're going to do. And I can only hope that the temporary release of powers that we will have will be enough for us to be able to move on to a more lasting solution," she suggested. 

 

Dr. Brown Burke said community members have mixed views about the state of emergency. 

 

"The citizens from parts of Whitfield Town Division will welcome it, especially with the kind of murders that they have seen and how many they really want to feel like something is happening. I know though that the persons from the Greenwich Town Division are going to be asking some questions."

 

She noted that some residents and small business owners from the Greenwich Town area had previously met with the police to request more relaxed opening hours. 

 

"They would have thought that since in their particular area they have not had any of those murders or crimes being committed, I'm sure they would have been looking for some easing up instead of a locking down," said the MP.