The Jamaica government has condemned the murder of two returning nationals even as it reiterated its commitment to serve and protect all Jamaicans.
National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang described the murders of Karen Cleary-Brown and Barbara Findley as “wicked and un-Jamaican” and extended condolence to the families and friends of the victims.
Chang said the “horrific acts of violence” against citizens are reprehensible and that “it is even more troubling that, in most cases, these killings are a result of domestic disputes between the victims and persons well known to them.
“It is irresponsible to suggest that these killings are a result of targeted attacks on our returning Jamaicans. The police reports indicate, instead, that several of the murders are committed by men who have endeared themselves to the victims,” Chang said in an apparent reference to a statement reportedly made by the President of the Jamaica Association for the Resettlement of Returning Residents, Percival LaTouche, urging overseas Jamaicans not to return home.
“We have confirmed the loss of 11 returning Jamaicans over the course of this year. It is to the credit of our police officers that all of the accused have been apprehended. We call on persons with information concerning any murder to tell the police or call Crime Stop and share what you know,” Chang said.
The body of 43-year-old Karen Cleary-Brown was discovered with stab wounds in a shallow grave on Monday. She had returned to the island after spending nearly 30 years in England to build her home.
The decomposing body of 48-year-old Barbara Findley, who as reported missing last week, was discovered close to Providence Housing Scheme in Santa Cruz , south west of here on Wednesday after residents detected a foul smell in bushes close to the entrance of the housing scheme.
Following the spate of killings of returning nationals, the police issued a statement outlining steps to be taken for their protection.
The JCF called for the establishment of a point of contact for the Diaspora to address specific concerns about cases as well as giving consideration to establish a service to conduct background checks, on request, of people who returnees wish to employ.
Chang said that the number of members of the security forces for the festive season had been increased “to continue to reduce crimes, especially homicides.
“We are, on one hand, satisfied that the homicide rate is heading in the right direction, with a 21 per cent decrease in murders. But, on the other hand we cannot, and must not as a nation, accept these occurrences as a norm. Let us, this holiday season, return to being each other’s keeper,” he added.
It is really hard to believe that people is attacking returning residents back to Jamaica, it only started as of late since the JLP party government took this past 3years.I have known several thousands of returning residents living in Jamaica over 30years,and nobody is bothering them. All of a sudden since this government took over the country, the killing of the returning residents started to happened. I am spent some time in England returning to Jamaica living there for a while, then left to United States and. Living there over 25years going back to Jamaica on several occasions, and moving up and down, and never having a problem.Some of those killings is caused by some relatives too,people owning people money before they left Jamaica, and refusing to pay them back. I know of several cases like that,people borrowing family members money to go abroad, and refusing to pay them back. My uncle lend a family members some money from 1969,and that person didn’t pay back uncle until he died a couple years ago. Some people is only looking at one side of the coin just like with Trevor Berbick,he left Jamaica earns millions of U.S. dollars.He wasted it,then he was deported back to Jamaica after serving his prison sentence. He back to the family land to fight with his nephew for land,which he could buy hundreds of acres of land, and built nice houses. He refused to do so, and he end up looking his life.Some people does not know the intricacies of the death of some of those residents, I guess they should investigate the cases before they making some false statements about the killings.How nobody don’t trouble the president of the association of the returning residents,it is really hard to believe that they are targeting residents for their dreams houses according to the president. He is only talking bullshit, he checked several areas in Jamaica where there are better, and bigger houses was built by people who never left the country for one day.More than some people may only visit on certain occasions, there are several Jamaicans living in Jamaica who have millions of U.S. dollars, and working in foreign countries. I am not going to buy his bullshit, that people went away and worked hard.Like nobody living in Jamaica does not works hard for their money, and also got robbed also got killed too.I was saying since he his telling people not to come back to Jamaica because of crimes, since it is all that bad.Why he don’t just packed up, and go back to England where the English government does not want them there.He is luck that those white skins boys in didn’t killed him,just like what they did to several Jamaicans people living there. I been over several places in England where in some areas,having a lots crimes just like Jamaica. That guy is only creating excitement liked crimes is not in England, Canada, also the United States,he only can fooled some people, but he cannot fooled me.