Building a Better Jamaica

Posted: Tuesday July 22, 2008
Jamaica Gleaner

Prime Minister Bruce Golding is today expected to unveil new crime strategies amid objections from some human rights groups.

It was anticipated that the Prime Minister would have made the announcement last week Tuesday but it was subsequently postponed until this week.

There has been more than 900 persons killed since the start of the year and in a release earlier this month Mr. Golding promised tougher measures to bring the country’s escalating crime rate under control.

According to him the State is confronted with severe challenges that require greater responses than that which has been mounted so far.

A major deployment of police and soldiers and several legislative changes should form the primary planks of new anti-crime measures to be announced.

Among the legislative changes he’s expected to announce is one to allow the police to detain individuals for up to 28 days without charge.

The government may also implement a proposal to refuse bail for gun-related offences for the first 90 days, and the provision for majority verdict in non-capital murder cases.

Mr. Golding has conducted consultations with several human rights groups, members of the private sector and the Jamaica police federation.

Convenor of Families Against State Terrorism, Yvonne McCalla- Sobers has described the new measures as draconian saying they will not improve the country’s crime situation.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice, Dr. Carolyn Gomes believes the government is using the crime situation as an excuse to infringe on the rights of Jamaicans.