Murders stay low

The country's crime statistics continue to trend downwards. Prime Minister Bruce Golding yesterday said he was informed by Police Commissioner Owen Ellington on the weekend that if the current trend continues, murders could fall to a eight-year low.

"If we stay on this track, we will end up with the lowest number of murders in at least eight years and probably even more," Golding said.

The prime minister was speaking at a Jamaica Labour Party Area Council One meeting in St Andrew yesterday.

Murders are down 40 per cent compared with last year, police statistics show. Between January and March 20 this year, there were 204 murders, 150 fewer than the 354 murders reported over the corresponding period last year.