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Prime Minister Bruce Golding has established a core group to pull together the different social intervention and community development programmes in government and civil society, and to recommend a set of strategies that can be included in a community re-socialization programme for Jamaica.
The group was set up today (May 14) by Prime Minister Bruce Golding at a meeting at Jamaica House. The meeting, which included representatives of a wide cross section of government departments and agencies, was called against the background of the government's drive to adopt a more strategic and multi-faceted approach in addressing the problem of crime and violence facing the country. Mr. Golding said that given the urgency of the country's crime problem, he would take responsibility for the leadership of the new initiative.
The core group consists of representatives of the Ministry of National Security, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Jamaica Defence Force, the Planning Institute of Jamaica and the National Centre for Youth Development. The Social Development Commission, Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Peace Management Initiative, Kingston Restoration Company and Rev. Al Miller, comprise the remainder of the core group.
Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, will chair the core group and report to the Prime Minister on May 28 when he returns from the United Kingdom.
The Prime Minister said a more collaborative and strategic approach was needed to drive a wedge between communities and criminals who do not necessarily enjoy the support of the residents, but nevertheless drive fear into them. He said this new approach should seek to change the image and perception that communities have of state authority, from one solely of a policeman with a firearm, to one that is more gentle and caring.
He said agencies that provide some of the basic but critical social services such as garbage collection and repairs to broken sewerage mains, should endeavour to respond more speedily to the needs of these communities, in order to help arrest the social decay and the feeling that no one cares.
Prime Minister Golding was joined at the meeting by Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange, Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dorothy Lightbourne and Minister of National Security, Colonel Trevor MacMillan.
The group was set up today (May 14) by Prime Minister Bruce Golding at a meeting at Jamaica House. The meeting, which included representatives of a wide cross section of government departments and agencies, was called against the background of the government's drive to adopt a more strategic and multi-faceted approach in addressing the problem of crime and violence facing the country. Mr. Golding said that given the urgency of the country's crime problem, he would take responsibility for the leadership of the new initiative.
The core group consists of representatives of the Ministry of National Security, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Jamaica Defence Force, the Planning Institute of Jamaica and the National Centre for Youth Development. The Social Development Commission, Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Peace Management Initiative, Kingston Restoration Company and Rev. Al Miller, comprise the remainder of the core group.
Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, will chair the core group and report to the Prime Minister on May 28 when he returns from the United Kingdom.
The Prime Minister said a more collaborative and strategic approach was needed to drive a wedge between communities and criminals who do not necessarily enjoy the support of the residents, but nevertheless drive fear into them. He said this new approach should seek to change the image and perception that communities have of state authority, from one solely of a policeman with a firearm, to one that is more gentle and caring.
He said agencies that provide some of the basic but critical social services such as garbage collection and repairs to broken sewerage mains, should endeavour to respond more speedily to the needs of these communities, in order to help arrest the social decay and the feeling that no one cares.
Prime Minister Golding was joined at the meeting by Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange, Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dorothy Lightbourne and Minister of National Security, Colonel Trevor MacMillan.
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