Robbery, killing of BPO worker prompt calls for more police patrols

Wednesday night’s murder of Kimani Wright, an employee of the IBEX Call Centre in New Kingston, highlights the need for increased patrols of the business district, St Andrew South Eastern Member of Parliament Julian Robinson has said.

The shadow minister of science, technology, and information said yesterday that if employees are not suitably protected, it could drive workers and investors from entering the local business process outsourcing industry.

“The technology industry is too important to the Jamaican economy in general, and the employment prospects for young people in particular, for marauding gangs to be allowed to wreak havoc by scaring off the employees, and eventually, the investors,” said Robinson.

Wright, 20, was killed shortly before 10 o’clock on Wednesday when a group of employees were held up by robbers in a car park on St Lucia Avenue.

Preliminary reports indicate that Wright was robbed of his cellular phone and shot by his attackers.

Robinson said he has learned that the mostly young call-centre employees, particularly women, in New Kingston were being targeted by robbers.

He said that Wednesday’s shooting was the second in the business district this week.

The MP has expressed condolences to Wright’s family and co-workers, stating that they “must be facing a Christmas of grief with the killing of a son and colleague, so young and full of potential”.

Robinson is calling on the police to move swiftly to bring the killers to justice and ensure adequate protection for call-centre employees in New Kingston and elsewhere, particularly for those who work on night shifts.