Tweet
Smith says crime spike is mysterious and suspicious
DESPITE providing statistics to show that Jamaica has had a spike in criminal activities — particularly murders, every decade since 1965 — National Security Minister Derrick Smith said there was something “mysterious” and “suspicious” about the current spike in murders since the September 3 general elections.
In front of a large crowd of supporters gathered in the vicinity of the Coronation Market on Sunday night, Smith suggested that there was something orchestrated in the criminal outburst.
“After all previous general elections we have seen this trend where there is a sudden lull. Unfortunately, and surprisingly, and mysteriously after this elections that did not happen. We saw the creep in the month of October, and again in the month of November,” he stated.
Continuing he said, “And we have been trying our utmost to find what has caused the spike, this sudden upturn in murders in this country. We have put in place short-term measures to stem the flow, and what we have seen is the continued rise.”
He noted that the current spike has defied all previous actions. Like his predecessor Dr Peter Phillips, Smith has been under pressure to act to stem the blood flow.
“This year, 2007, started out as a very bad year in relation to crime and violence and in particular murder,” he said. “When we took office in September, the crime statistics showed that in relation to murder, we were running way ahead of last year — 17 per cent ahead of last year where we had some success,” he said.
He said the government has been having a testing time analysing the current situation.
Against that background, the minister told the large crowd that the party had established a task force, which would meet daily to assess the situation and make recommendations for short- and long-term crimesolving measures.
Smith said the government would not be intimidated by a handful of criminals who seek to wreak havoc on the country.
—Erica Virtue
DESPITE providing statistics to show that Jamaica has had a spike in criminal activities — particularly murders, every decade since 1965 — National Security Minister Derrick Smith said there was something “mysterious” and “suspicious” about the current spike in murders since the September 3 general elections.
In front of a large crowd of supporters gathered in the vicinity of the Coronation Market on Sunday night, Smith suggested that there was something orchestrated in the criminal outburst.
“After all previous general elections we have seen this trend where there is a sudden lull. Unfortunately, and surprisingly, and mysteriously after this elections that did not happen. We saw the creep in the month of October, and again in the month of November,” he stated.
Continuing he said, “And we have been trying our utmost to find what has caused the spike, this sudden upturn in murders in this country. We have put in place short-term measures to stem the flow, and what we have seen is the continued rise.”
He noted that the current spike has defied all previous actions. Like his predecessor Dr Peter Phillips, Smith has been under pressure to act to stem the blood flow.
“This year, 2007, started out as a very bad year in relation to crime and violence and in particular murder,” he said. “When we took office in September, the crime statistics showed that in relation to murder, we were running way ahead of last year — 17 per cent ahead of last year where we had some success,” he said.
He said the government has been having a testing time analysing the current situation.
Against that background, the minister told the large crowd that the party had established a task force, which would meet daily to assess the situation and make recommendations for short- and long-term crimesolving measures.
Smith said the government would not be intimidated by a handful of criminals who seek to wreak havoc on the country.
—Erica Virtue
Comment