Chamber mulls over CCTV for Spanish Town
Published:Monday | January 31, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Dennis Robotham, the president of the St Catherine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said his organisation would be revisiting the idea of installing electronic surveillance in Spanish Town as part of a crime-fighting initiative.
"The question of surveillance is a deterrent as persons do not want to know they are observed committing crime," Robotham told The Gleaner in an interview yesterday.
He said the installation of electronic surveillance could be an expensive undertaking but argued it would help reduce criminal activities and save lives and businesses in the Old Capital.
Senior Superintendent Anthony Castelle is also in support of an electronic surveillance system being placed in Spanish Town.
"The police's duty is to deal with crime, so it would be good to install such a system. It should be installed before the criminals know. That is how it will be effective," Castelle said.
- R.T.
St Catherine, which is one of Jamaica's most murderous parishes has been a hot bed for criminal activities. At least eight persons have been murdered in St Catherine within the last two weeks. Police say the incidents are gang related.
Robotham said that despite the barking guns in the Old Capital business are still managing to remain open.
"It is not comforting knowing that persons are being killed. However, it is an inter-gang feud. As a result businesses have not being badly affected as before," Robotham said.