Govt dismantles more gangs in 3 years than in last 30: PM Holness

Jamaica: Prime Minister Andrew Holness, during a recent press conference, revealed that his administration has dismantled and arrested more gangs in the last three years than in the previous 30 years combined.

While sharing these details, he said that this is a testament to the unwavering commitment of the his government to tackle organized crime and supporting the Jamaica Constabulary Force in creating safer communities.

Holness attributed this success to the use of States of Emergency (SOEs), which he said was essential in creating an environment where the police could regain control of troubled communities across the island. 

"The level of organized crime in these areas is not normal, and we must elevate the conversation to confront this harsh reality. We must remain relentless in our pursuit of justice and security for all Jamaicans," noted the Prime Minister. 

He emphasized that the original strategy was to attenuate the situation by using extraordinary powers to bring the situation within the capacity of the police force to manage, which is what all the developed countries do whenever crime or any other issue gets above their capacity, they use extraordinary powers and nobody criticises them.

"We have a situation here that for many years it has been over and above our investigative capacity, over and above our transport capacity, over and above the ability to put boots on the ground in the challenged communities, and what has the government done in the last eight years, build out capacity," he further said.

He said that this is why the government does not rely on SOE's anymore because they are building capacity and it is evident in the last three years.

According to Holness, "The number of gang cases that we would have brought to the courts and the number of gangs that we have disrupted and dismantled was more than in the last 30 years."

He continued to say that all major crimes are down by 20 percent and murders are going down and added, "So I want Jamaicans to understand that your government is acting in your best interest and that those who don't understand what is happening in Jamaica should get the right information before they speak, and support the government of Jamaica in ensuring that our citizens are safe and that the region is safe, and we will not relent against the criminals."