Chang says zones contributing to a reduction of risk factors

Durrant Pate/Contributor

The zones of special operations (ZOSOs) established in seven communities across the island have been extended for another 60 days.

This after the House of Representatives yesterday approved seven resolutions seeking to extend the Government’s anti-crime and social intervention measure in Denham Town, West Kingston; Parade Gardens in Central Kingston, Norwood and Mount Salem, St James; Greenwich Town and August Town in St Andrew and Savanna-la-mar in Westmoreland. The extensions will expire on February 21, 2023.

National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang, who piloted the resolutions through the Parliament, highlighted that there have been positive outcomes from the implementation on ZOSOs in those seven communities, noting that, “all areas under the ZOSO recorded reductions in all major crimes, including murder”.

ZOSOs working

He told the House that data confirms that ZOSOs are contributing to a reduction of risk factors, increasing the competencies of residents and improving the prospects of the beneficiaries.

According to Chang, “the zones continue to transition along the CLEAR-HOLD-BUILD spectrum with positive results in respect to crime reduction”.

He added: “Mount Salem and Denham Town will continue into the Build Phase, while Greenwich Town, August Town, Norwood, Parade Gardens and Savanna-La-mar will continue in the HOLD Phase for this period of extension.”

The national security minister provided the House with an update on the progress of the ZOSOs in the seven communities advising that all planned activities for the Mount Salem ZOSO remain on target with more than 95 per cent of developments at an advanced state of completion. Denham Town is in the BUILD phase with more than J$450 million invested to date.

Given the advanced development status of the ZOSO there, activities are largely aligned to completing activities towards the sustainable development of the community. The Greenwich Town ZOSO is at an advanced stage of development with over J$150 million invested in the community by the Government, to date. 

Detailing social work being done

As regard to the August Town Zone, significant work has been completed but there remains a list of planned projects to support the community that are at various stages of development. Over J$200 million has been committed, which is being used to implement interventions within the space. 

Given the need for extensive infrastructure development in August Town, a number of initiatives will be coming on-stream to further support the build out of the community. The community is earmarked to receive additional investments valued at over J$150 million.

These will include further development of the road and water supplies, electrification, and entrepreneurial support. The pace of activities slowed during the most recent extension of the Norwood ZOSO.

This is attributed to the end of year/Christmas season. Notwithstanding this, the community development activities remain on track. The Norwood ZOSO is undergoing significant build out of much-needed infrastructure, including rehabilitation of road and water supplies.

The Parade Gardens ZOSO is still at the pre-development phase with activities largely focused on identifying community needs for prioritisation. 

The zone has not yet transitioned to the BUILD phase and as such the development planning process, which is being led by the Social Intervention Committee remains focused on the formulation and identification of fiscal space to support the build-out once the Zone goes into the BUILD phase. In the interim, a number of short-term human development interventions have been executed.

The resolutions will now go to the Senate for debate and approval.