Should the state of emergency be extended?

Commuters in St Ann and downtown Kingston gave their views on the question: Do you think the Government and Opposition could have struck a deal in Parliament regarding an extension of the state of emergency; and what other measures could be used to tackle the crime problem?

Lascelles Ashmeade

I think they should have come to a decision to extend the state of emergency, because it was effective in fighting crime. The only thing that I see can make a difference now is for the Government to provide jobs for the young people so that they can become occupied and improve their living conditions.

Carol Johns

They could have made a deal to extend the state of emergency because it is the only thing that was cutting crime. When the bad men dem see the soldiers, they got coward, so dem no bother with the criminal activities, but now things are going to return to the bad stage where crime is concerned.

Newton Forrest

As it is, the state of emergency wasn't a full deterrent to crime, because I don't think the Government got enough time to test it. So, I think they could have hit a deal for an extension so that the Government could design ways to put an end to crime, based on the outcome of the state of emergency. I also believe that now that it is out, the security forces need to build back a good relationship with the people in the inner-city communities and maintain a presence there so that we can continue to have a fall in crime.

Keith Baker

The state of emergency should have ended before, as there must be another way out. Yes, it cut crime, but it prevented people from going about their business freely and it prevented work from going on.

What the youths need now is jobs so that they can better their lives and their families, and then we will see a true reflection of the decline in crime.

Lyn Burgess

What the people need is employment, so the Government needs to build some factories and create jobs for the people so that they can better their living conditions and stop being involved in criminal activities.

Shauna-Dean Walters

I think a deal could have been made.

Both parties should come together and make an agreement because they are at the head of the country, and if they are not setting an example for the people, what do they expect the people to do? They are supposed to look out for our interest and they are not doing that.

Mellisa Lawrence

They could have dealt with the situation in a better way. Areas where they have more crime, they (could) extend the curfew to some of those areas as well.

The public can cooperate more with the police. If they have information about criminal activities, they should give it to the police instead of withholding it.

Taniesha Green

They could have come to a consensus as to how to deal with the problem. I think it was probably necessary to extend the state of emergency because of what is happening, not just because of the (Christopher) Coke situation, but crime as a whole.

They could try and speak to the younger people, because they are taking those persons (criminals) as examples to go out and commit crime. They could provide more education and counselling so later on, they won't think crime is the only way out.

Saskia Polsen

I definitely think a deal could have been struck in the interest of the Jamaican people, in light of the fact that crime has decreased since the state of emergency. I think they need to stop playing political games and start dealing with things in the interest of the Jamaican people.

Community policing could work. (But) I think we need a police force that we can trust, and we're not seeing that right now.

Anadeen Wollaston

I think they could have made a deal. The police and the public can work together to stop crime. The public needs to be giving police information about criminal activities. That would definitely help.

Kerry Parkes

A deal could have been struck but I don't think it makes sense to extend it (the state of emergency) because that would just keep them (criminals) away, and after that they would come back.

I think they should hunt down the bad guys and kill them all. Just get rid of them.

Carol Johns

Lascelles Ashmeade

Lyn Burgess

'I think they should hunt down the bad guys and kill them all. Just get rid of them.'

Keith Baker

Newton Forrest