Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government has been taking firm and deliberate steps to harden the national security architecture and ensure that the country does not become a haven for organised criminal groups.
“This is so that a drug cartel somewhere or a crime syndicate somewhere does not have uncontested access to use Jamaica as a transhipment hub. It means it must become more difficult for these organised criminals/groups to be able to gain access to our ports, to corrupt our law enforcement officers… and to bring guns into Jamaica,” he noted.
Holness said that once the loopholes are closed “you will begin to see, over time, significant reduction in the street-level crime that the average person experiences”.
He was speaking at a national security seminar hosted by the Office of the National Security Advisor, at the AC Hotel in Kingston on January 12.
The prime minister noted that the structure of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has been strengthened, while the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has been undergoing structural reform.
“They have done their strategic defence review… ; it sets out how the JDF is transforming itself to meet the challenges of the next decade or so. We are also building the capacity of the Major Organised Crime & Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA),” he said, noting that the entity is “emerging very nicely as a strong, robust law enforcement and investigative agency to tackle high-level crime and corruption”.
Regarding the recruitment of personnel, Holness said the JDF is now close to 8,000 members, and the objective is to get to 10,000.
As it relates to the JCF, he noted that last year, the force recruited more than 1,350 new policemen.
Holness further noted that the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) and the Passport, Immigration & Citizenship Agency (PICA) are being modernised to assist crime-fighting.
“Someone asked why is the Jamaica Customs Agency partnering with Crime Stop to get the guns; shouldn’t that just be a JCF/Ministry of National Security operation? No! Customs has been specifically tasked to tighten their operations, including ensuring that there is a high level of integrity of their own agents and officers to ensure that we get the guns and to build public awareness and participation in the efforts to get the guns coming through our legal ports,” Holness said.
In addition, he said that the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) has been strengthened, so that legal weapons are properly regulated.
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The prime minister also noted the improvements of police stations under Project Rebuild, Overhaul and Construct (ROC), which aims to convert all stations into modern, citizen-friendly workspaces, providing personnel with a comfortable environment conducive to work.
“It’s not just the police stations; it’s what we have spent on police vehicles, on cyber protection, on communication, intelligence… We have spent significant resources in these areas improving the capabilities of law enforcement in Jamaica,” Holness said.
He further mentioned the strengthening of the maritime space, with investments in offshore/inshore patrol vessels; aircraft, including new helicopters to assist in emergency response.
“We have not made much of the blue economy in Jamaica, but it is a priority – a sign to the JDF to develop a blue economy strategy and plan,” Holness said.
— JIS
