Holness defends continued use of States of Emergency to fight crime

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness has defended his administration’s continued use of States of Emergency as a crime fighting tool following criticism from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

Last week, the IACHR called on the Holness Administration to ensure that measures used to fight and prevent crime are implemented in accordance with international human rights standards.

The comment was made in the aftermath of the imposition of a State of Emergency in the southern parish of Clarendon last month, in response to a gun attack during which eight people were killed and nine others wounded.

Speaking at the retirement function for a senior member of the police force, Holness agreed that everything must be done to protect the rights of all citizens and asserted that this has been reinforced to members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

“In the transformation of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, every officer will tell you that in their training, respect for citizen’s right, respect for human rights, including in our operations … I urge the JCF to continue on this path to show the world that we don’t need to be told to respect human rights, it is something that is engrained in us,” the Jamaica PM asserted.

“But you know what is missing from the conversation? Is the respect for the rights of the victims,” he stated.  “No one speaks about the rights of the victims. Those families who have lost their loved ones. No international agency is coming to say protect the rights of the citizen.  None.”

PM Holness said when crime gets above the capacity in developed countries, those governments use extraordinary powers without external criticism.

“We have a situation here, that for many years it has been over and above our investigative capacity. Over and above the ability to put boots on the ground in the challenged communities,” he pointed out.

“What has the Government done in the last eight years? We have been building capacity, so we don’t rely on SOEs. In the last three years, the number of gangs brought to the courts and the number of gangs that have been dismantled, has been more than in the last 30 years. All major crimes are down by 20 percent,” PM Holness noted.

He added: “So, I want Jamaicans to understand, that your government is acting in your best interest and 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 we will not relent against the criminals,” he said. —KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC)

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