Opposition bemoans PM Holness’ “shallow scapegoatism on crime”

The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) says it is alarmed by the sharp increase in murders across Jamaica since the start of the new year.

The Opposition, in a statement late Tuesday (January 18), said that it was “reprehensible” to think that just 17 days into 2022, the country has already recorded 72 murders, only nine of which have been cleared up.

“The represents an increase of 24 per cent from 2021 and a rate of four Jamaicans being slaughtered per day,” the Opposition remarked.

The PNP was also “extremely concerned” by Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ failure to control the runaway homicide rate and slammed his pointless efforts to blame the Opposition for refusing to support any further extension to the States of Emergency (SOEs).

For two consecutive Sundays, where he announced Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs) in Parade Gardens and Savanna-la-Mar South, Holness reminded the Jamaican public that the Opposition ‘did not see it fit’ to support an extension of the SOEs.

“The Opposition is extremely concerned by the prime minister’s failure to address the issue of crime in Jamaica. His administration, specifically the Minister of National Security, has failed to deliver a sustainable crime control and prevention plan notwithstanding the drastic increase in our national security budget. Instead, the prime minister has resorted to shallow political scapegoatism by blaming the Opposition for his administration’s abject failure at keeping our citizens safe,” argued the PNP.

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• ZOSO declared for Central Kingston’s Parade Gardens

Continuing, the PNP said it was deeply troubled by Holness’ expression of confidence in Dr Horace Chang’s leadership of the national security ministry “despite the continuous public outcry over [his] retention of his ministerial portfolio”.

“The Opposition will not allow the current Andrew Holness led administration to continue to gaslight Jamaicans with empty symbolism, PR stunts and feigning empathy,” the PNP said.

“The Opposition has, on several occasions, indicated our willingness to cooperate in the fight against crime and has provided numerous recommendations on how to address the security issue in both the short-term and long-term,” the Opposition added.

This Sunday, January 23, the PNP’s National Executive Council (NEC) will hold its first meeting for 2022, with ways to tackle crime and violence in the most volatile communities “urgent on its agenda”.

“We will consider whether the incumbent Minister [Chang] and Commissioner of Police [Major General Antony Anderson] have lost the confidence of the public and whether they must be replaced,” the PNP added.

The Opposition is again calling for the establishment of ZOSOs in all hot spots across Jamaica where violent crime is getting progressively worse.

“The situation has been out of control for a very long time now. We cannot allow the Prime Minister to throw in the towel on a solution to crime simply because SOEs have been ruled unconstitutional by the courts. We must utilise all the other tools at our disposal to urgently arrest the situation,” the Opposition noted further.