The Government’s multifaceted approach to tackling crime, including social transformational initiatives, strategic investments in technology and infrastructure, and legislative changes, is yielding dividends, with a sharp reduction in major crimes to record the country’s lowest rate in 24 years.
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, underscored this while making his contribution to the 2024/25 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on Thursday (March 21).
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Mr. Holness said Jamaica recorded a 10 percent reduction in major crimes, including murders, shootings, rapes, robberies, aggravated assault, and break-ins in 2023, when compared to 2022, noting that this downward trend has continued in 2024.
“Notably, the number of active gangs in Jamaica decreased by approximately 36 percent in 2023, to an estimated 176 gangs, down from an estimated 276 known gangs in 2018. That is a massive reduction,” he further stated.
Mr. Holness noted that former Police Commissioner, Major General Antony Anderson, can claim meaningful progress and success in the transformation of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), in the areas of organizational leadership, structure, doctrine and culture, infrastructure and technology, and operational strategy and tactics.
“We are now beginning to see the positive impact of the transformed JCF as a Force for Good. Let me express our appreciation and commendation to Major General Antony Anderson for a career of effective leadership and sterling service to Jamaica’s National Security. I also welcome Dr. Kevin Blake, our new Commissioner, and task him to continue the transformation of the JCF,” he added.
Prime Minister Holness pointed out that his Administration continues to invest significantly in the JCF’s transformation.
To this end, the Government continues to build out the Force’s human resources to keep ahead of attrition and commensurate with the law-and-order challenge, through a robust program of recruitment and training of more than 2,000 officers.
An additional 280 cameras are to be procured to be installed in downtown Kingston under the JamaicaEye Program, and some $650 million is being invested in the JCF’s mobile radio and microwave data networks to improve its communications infrastructure, thereby increasing island-wide coverage from 67 to 90 percent by 2028.
“We continue to upgrade and renew the JCF’s fleet with the procurement of over 1,600 motor vehicles, to date. Twenty-nine police facilities are slated for renovation this financial year, with investments amounting to approximately $460 million under the Project ROC initiative, which is aimed at converting all police stations into modern, citizen-friendly workplaces,” Mr. Holness said.
Construction is also slated to start for the St. Catherine North Police Station and the Westmoreland Divisional Headquarters, for which ground was broken last Friday.
Meanwhile, Mr. Holness indicated that the Government’s social intervention programs in communities affected by high crime rates are mainly effected through the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) under the Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs).
He said these are designed to be long-term interventions that will focus on the improvement of amenities, infrastructure and human resource development in the designated communities.
Mr. Holness pointed out that the physical and social transformation in many of these spaces is evident.
He mentioned the rehabilitation of just over 17.5 kilometers of roadways and the buildout of water and drainage infrastructure in Mount Salem, Denham Town, Greenwich Town, and August Town at a cost of more than $750 million.
Additionally, seven primary schools in Denham Town, Greenwich Town, and Mount Salem have been rehabilitated at a cost of approximately $138 million.
Two primary schools are currently being rehabilitated in August Town while three have also benefited from the creation of safe passages, which are important for students to traverse main corridors to and from school.
A total of 14 parks and green spaces have been created or rehabilitated and 289 microenterprises provided with critical equipment and tools, business development training, and business registration services.
Mr. Holness said the Zones of Special Operations have yielded success in the reduction of murders in the seven designated communities, namely Mount Salem, Denham Town, Greenwich Town, August Town, Norwood, Parade Gardens, and Savanna-la-Mar.
“These communities collectively recorded a 40 percent reduction in murders when we compare pre-ZOSO figures of 2017 with 2023,” he indicated.
