Having secured a third term in Government, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness says violence reduction remains a priority of his administration.

“To signal the priority of violence reduction, the Ministry of National Security is now the Ministry of National Security and Peace. This reflects our conviction. The task before us is not simply to enforce law and order, but to build the conditions for lasting peace,” he said.

Holness was speaking at the opening of the new Parliament and swearing-in ceremony for members of the Senate and the House of Representatives at Gordon House, on September 18.

“Jamaica has had several successes in its development. One that I am particularly proud of is that we have managed to eliminate political violence from our society, it’s a major achievement and it was done in a cooperative way. I believe that this generation of leaders also has the capability to eliminate social violence from our society,” he said.

The prime minister noted that while homicides have fallen significantly, the underlying conditions that cause and sustain violence must be addressed.

To this end, he said the new Ministry of National Security and Peace will be focused jointly with other ministries “on ensuring that once and for all, we tackle this issue of social violence”.

“The work to reduce crime is not only about saving lives, it is about changing the entire trajectory of the country. Every murder prevented is not just a life saved but a community stabilised, an investor reassured, a professional encouraged to stay, a business able to expand,” he argued, adding that once peace is established, the country’s economy will grow.

Furthermore, Holness said that for the first time in decades, Jamaica is no longer the most homicidal country in the Latin American and Caribbean region.

“This is a major change, this is progress, but it must not be a passing phase. The decline must be sustained as we not only root out the gangs but also transform the communities where they once had safe haven,” he emphasised.

“By removing their habitat, changing the conditions, volatile communities and indeed all of Jamaica can become safer and more prosperous. Indeed, Jamaicans will be able to sleep with their windows and doors open. It is an ambition, an aspiration from which we must not resile,” Holness added.

He said among other things, peace and a reduction in crime encourages the country’s best and brightest to remain here in Jamaica, reduces brain drain and secures the human resources necessary for the development of the country.

“This Parliament must, therefore, see violence reduction as central to our economic future. It is not a matter of security alone, it is key to unlocking our prosperity and, therefore, when it comes to the strategies for violence reduction, I again call for a nonpartisan, nonpolitical space to be created where we can work collectively and jointly to reduce, if not eliminate, social violence in our society,” Holness said.

Furthermore, he said housing and land titling are not just economic policies; they are violence reduction strategies.