Bunting questions Government's wait to announce crime strategy

Opposition Spokesman on National Security, Senator Peter Bunting, is questioning the Andrew Holness-led administration's decision to wait until the Jamaica Labour Party's annual conference later this month to outline its strategies to deal with the rising crime rate.

In his presentation at the first People's National Party (PNP) Time Come town hall meeting, held at Bridgeport High School in Portmore, St Catherine, Sunday, Bunting also expressed concern that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is failing to reduce crime as it promised voters. 

“I've noticed that every time a minister of government or a representative of the JLP administration talks about crime, the first they say is 'let us stop politicise crime', but what they're really saying is 'Don't hold us accountable for the promises we made in 2015',” Bunting said. 

Bunting noted that the Minister of National Security, Horace Chang, announced in October that the Prime Minister would on November 20 indicate the Government's plan to fight crime.

“What is happening on Sunday, November 20th? It is the Jamaica Labour Party Conference...scores of people are being murdered in the month and have to wait on party conference fi dem try use dat fi get little audience fi dem conference. That is politicising crime,” he said. 

He continued, “When Andrew Holness said in 2015, 'Don't tell me that Government can't do anything. There's a lot Government can do to reduce crime in this country,' you must hold them accountable."

"He came to you promising that you could sleep with your windows and your doors open, so when dem seh we must stop politicising crime, what they mean is, they don't want us to hold them responsible for their own promises and for their own failure to perform in national security,” Bunting argued.

Bunting noted that as of midnight on Saturday, there were 1,329 murders in Jamaica. 

“Two months to go, but already, 1,329 murders in Jamaica. During the PNP's last term in office, at this point, we were never more than 1,000. They're already at 1,329! So it's more than 300 additional murders every year under this administration, even though they promised you you would sleep with your windows and doors open!” he said. 

Mark Golding, President of the PNP, also expressed concern about the high crime rate in the island for 2022. 

“Our country is in a state of fear, hopelessness and frustration. Violent crime has gotten significantly worse under the current government, reversing the positive trend of the four years of reducing murders and reducing police shootings under the last PNP administration,” Golding said. 

-Ainsworth Morris

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