KINGSTON, Jamaica, Thursday May 26, 2016 – Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government will be taking “bold and decisive” measures to significantly reduce crime and violence in the country, particularly against the most vulnerable. Among the measures to be implemented is a special process within the court system for the prosecution and trial of murders, which will serve to expedite the cases.
Making his presentation in the 2016/17 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, Holness said the Government will also be amending the Bail Act, so that persons charged with murder will be ineligible for bail in some circumstances. The law will also be amended to introduce mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes, and efforts to tackle lotto scamming, gangs and the narcotics trade will also be intensified.
“We will be moving to have the various courses and certificates at the National Police College of Jamaica accredited (and) we will be starting the Security Enhancement Fund to have a dedicated stream of revenue for the maintenance of police vehicles and the repair of police stations,” Holness added.
The prime minister said the Government intends to increase the fleet available to the police by 400 cars and 200 bikes. Additionally, 30 new mobile police stations will be built to increase the presence of the police islandwide. The number of security officers is also to be increased from 12,000 to 14,000 over a three-year period.
“The Government will secure our borders. We will be increasing the use of technology in the fight against crime, inclusive of the use of technology in prisons,” Prime Minister Holness said.
Electronic monitoring devices and Community Service Orders will also be used to reduce the inmate population. Additionally, the amended Road Traffic and Major Organized Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) Acts will be submitted to Parliament for debate and passage in short order. Amendments to the Proceeds of Crime Act, to include praedial larceny, as well as to the Offensive Weapons Act, to include a wider range of weapons, will also be treated as priority.