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Bunting hits back at Chang's police 'defunding' comment

Published:Monday | November 21, 2022 | 9:48 AM
Bunting: "In one year, he has more money in the capitol budget than in the four years when I was National Security Minister. And there are stations without vehicles, there are stations where sewage is flooding out, and there is one station in Green Acres, St Catherine that the police have to use a boat to get to it."

People's National Party (PNP) Senator Peter Bunting has lashed out against National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang over what he has described as incompetence in the management of Jamaica's murder rate and the resources to equip the police force to fight crime.

Speaking at the PNP's constituency conference for St James Central at the Green Pond High School in Green Pond, St James on Sunday evening, Bunting took aim at statements Chang made during the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) St Andrew North Eastern divisional conference on November 13 where he accused the PNP of defunding the police.

READ:Chang accuses former PNP administration of defunding the police

At that time, Chang stated that the reduction to the Jamaica Constabulary Force resulted in an increase in criminality.

"The excuse he [Chang] came up with is that after seven years, the reason why they [JLP] were an abject failure is that I defunded the police. In one year, he has more money in the capitol budget than in the four years when I was National Security Minister. And there are stations without vehicles, there are stations where sewage is flooding out, and there is one station in Green Acres, St Catherine that the police have to use a boat to get to it," Bunting told the meeting.

Bunting also declared that if Jamaica's crime rate continues unabated under the JLP's management, the country may record over 1,500 murders by the end of the year.

There have been 1,360 murders recorded in Jamaica up to November 13, a 6.8 percent increase compared to 2021.

- Christopher Thomas

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