Golding wants timeline on ZOSO amendments

Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding today called for the Government to give a timeline for when amendments to the Zone of Special Operations (ZOSO) legislation will come to parliament. 

“The Act was reviewed by a joint select committee of parliament, various recommendations were made in the report, which came here, [it] was debated and approved but we haven't seen the legislation come here to make those adjustments,” said Golding in the House of Representatives this afternoon.

Earlier at the sitting, Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang presented a resolution for the extension of the ZOSOs in Denham Town, West Kingston; Norwood and Mount Salem, St James; Greenwich Town, Parade Gardens and August Town in St Andrew, and Savanna-la-mar in Westmoreland.

Golding argued that it is “quite clear” that a 60-day period is inadequate for any zone and one of the recommendations is for that period to be extended. 

Golding, who is also president of the People's National Party, said members of parliament were given a notice that there would be no sitting of the House of Representatives today. 

However, he said, they were called to the chamber to deal with the ZOSO resolution.

“Subsequently, we were told we had to come here because these ZOSOs are expiring, which I understand, but it just indicates the need to expedite the legislation to amend this so we don't have these kinds of chaotic management of our time in this House,” Golding said. 

In his presentation, Chang said all zones have recorded reductions in major crimes, including murders. 

See data below:

Mount Salem - 59% 

Denham Town - 32% 

August Town - 47%

Greenwich Town - 30% 

Parade Gardens - 94% 

Savanna-la-mar - 90%

Norwood - 63%

 - Judana Murphy

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