Faced with growing criticisms of his administration’s handling of the crime wave affecting the country, Prime Minister Andrew Holness is expected to roll out a new anti-crime plan today.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to hold a press conference at Jamaica House to outline the latest initiative aimed at stemming the bloodletting.
This, weeks after National Security Minister Robert Montague told parliament more plans are being made to tackle the crime monster.
A key part of the initiatives rolled out so far is the Zone of Special Operations…the first and so far, only one implemented in Mount Salem, St James on September 1….it is scheduled to end on October 30.
But it has not stemmed the murders in St James. More than 230 people have become victims of homicide in the parish since the start of the year. It is the highest number of murders for any police division in the country.
Curfews have also been imposed in sections of Clarendon which is another hotspot. Several of the island’s most wanted fugitives have either been captured or killed over the past few weeks. However, there have been growing calls for the administration to come up with a solid crime plan.
The police have been grappling with a spike in shootings and murders over the past several months.
Some 1,200 people have been murdered in Jamaica since January 1, a 26 percent increase when compared with the same period a year ago.
The country is now averaging four murders per day.
