Bernard claims St James residents remain traumatised by fear of violence
Published:Saturday | August 2, 2025 | 12:05 AM
WESTERN BUREAU:
While St James is now seeing a most welcomed decline in serious crimes, with murders and shootings falling by more than 50 per cent since the start of the year, Allan Bernard, the People’s National Party’s (PNP) prospective candidate for St James North Western, is claiming that residents in many communities are still traumatised by a fear of violence.
“Here in North West St James, this is what the residents and the citizens have said. They told me that they are traumatised. They said to me that they are in pain and they are traumatised, and we are sick and tired of this,” said Bernard, who was addressing a PNP parish meeting in Mt Salem, St James, last Saturday night.
In what appeared to be a jab at his Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) opponent, National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang, who he is seeking to unseat in the St James North Western constituency, Bernard expressed scepticism about both the message of safety and security as well as the messenger.
“We know that the message of safety and security in North West St James and in St James is as good as the messenger who brings in that message… . The message of safety and security in St James, in Jamaica, is as good as the messenger that is carrying that message,” he said.
Based on the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) latest Serious Crimes Report for the period January 1 to July 26, the country is now enjoying a significant decline in murders as the 394 deaths since the start of this year is a 41.8 per cent reduction when compared to the 677 murders committed over the comparative period last year.
IMPRESSIVE REDUCTIONS
In relation to St James specifically, which has been the nation’s murder capital for over a decade, the 34 murders since the start of the year is a 57 per cent reduction over the 80 recorded over the similar period last year. The other three western parishes are also seeing impressive reductions in murders – Westmoreland is seeing a 60.7 per cent reduction, Hanover a 72.2 per cent reduction, and Trelawny a 50 per cent reduction.
However, while accepting that the reduction is good, Bernard said the next PNP government intends to put in the framework required for sustainability, noting that true security must go beyond just regular policing.
“A big part of that is the partnership that we will form with law enforcement. That’s a big part of it, but an even bigger part of it is the partnership that we intend to form with communities,” said Bernard. “Engagements between the communities and the state apparatus must be different. It can’t be no one-upmanship, that doesn’t work. People have to participate in a process that is established for them. People have to stop being passive recipients and begin to be active participants in all the processes.”
Bernard said that, based on his own experience, he has seen where positive results can be achieved if police and citizens work as partners to promote good order in communities.
“If properly nurtured, I see where the community and police can bring about more sustained safety and security conditions within the community,” said Bernard. “I have seen that, I have seen where more sustained partnership between police and, for example, youth clubs, community-based organisations can bring about more sustained and lasting peace.”
Bernard also pointed out that, despite the positive situation, many young people are afraid of the police, believing they are there to do harm rather than protect, and he thinks that perception needs to change.
“Where the youth is not afraid of the police and thinks that the police are here to do them harm, but recognise that the police are actually there to serve and protect, it will help to make things even better,” said Bernard, who also wants to see the churches, schools, and local organisations playing a greater role in stabilising communities and providing hope for the traumatised.