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JFJ Press Release
Tuesday, September 29, 2009, Kingston, Jamaica - Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) is disturbed by the most recent statement made by the Minister of National Security, Senator Dwight Nelson, this time during a crime forum held in Westmoreland on September 24, 2009. The Minister, by stating that “there are times when you have to restrict rights to bring back order and discipline,” has sanctioned the compromising of human rights in the fight against crime. We remind the minister that he has sworn an oath to protect the constitution of Jamaica and this constitution guarantees the upholding of basic human rights. His utterances amount to state sanctioned infringements of the constitutional rights of citizens. Breaches of human rights in a society plagued with such abuses are not the answer to our crime rate, it may in fact be contributing to it.
Already, since the start of the year, the police have been responsible for the shootings deaths of far too many of the nation’s citizens. The latest figures provided by the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) indicate that one hundred and fifty-seven (157) people have been killed by the police between January and August of 2009, fourteen (14) more people than the same time period of last year while fatal incidents have increased by twenty (20), many of which appear to have occurred unlawfully, suggesting serious abuse of power. With statistics like these, the answer does not lie in granting agents of the State more power and the citizenry less.
Success in reducing crime is not to be found in compromising civil liberties. The approach of asking for citizens to surrender their civil liberties in the interest of fighting crime has been taken over and over again in our recent past and in every instance when Jamaican citizens have had to give up their civil liberties, the result has not improved the crime rate, in fact it has had the effect of worsening it.
It is in times like these, when we are tested, that we need to remain prudent, steadfast in good judgment and be guided by, our constitution, the laws that govern us and the fundamental rights of all citizens guaranteed by local and international standards. In some countries the Minister’s unfortunate utterances would be more than enough grounds to call for his resignation.
We implore the Minister to take the time to carefully and meticulously find feasible strategies to combat crime and chose his words with care, since he will be accountable for any outcome that they generate. To that end he could perhaps read, and implement, some of the recommendations from the myriad of reports written on how to solve the crime problem and work with the other relevant ministries and parliament to:
Another Hasty and Irresponsible Statement by the Minister of National Security
Tuesday, September 29, 2009, Kingston, Jamaica - Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) is disturbed by the most recent statement made by the Minister of National Security, Senator Dwight Nelson, this time during a crime forum held in Westmoreland on September 24, 2009. The Minister, by stating that “there are times when you have to restrict rights to bring back order and discipline,” has sanctioned the compromising of human rights in the fight against crime. We remind the minister that he has sworn an oath to protect the constitution of Jamaica and this constitution guarantees the upholding of basic human rights. His utterances amount to state sanctioned infringements of the constitutional rights of citizens. Breaches of human rights in a society plagued with such abuses are not the answer to our crime rate, it may in fact be contributing to it.
Already, since the start of the year, the police have been responsible for the shootings deaths of far too many of the nation’s citizens. The latest figures provided by the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) indicate that one hundred and fifty-seven (157) people have been killed by the police between January and August of 2009, fourteen (14) more people than the same time period of last year while fatal incidents have increased by twenty (20), many of which appear to have occurred unlawfully, suggesting serious abuse of power. With statistics like these, the answer does not lie in granting agents of the State more power and the citizenry less.
Success in reducing crime is not to be found in compromising civil liberties. The approach of asking for citizens to surrender their civil liberties in the interest of fighting crime has been taken over and over again in our recent past and in every instance when Jamaican citizens have had to give up their civil liberties, the result has not improved the crime rate, in fact it has had the effect of worsening it.
It is in times like these, when we are tested, that we need to remain prudent, steadfast in good judgment and be guided by, our constitution, the laws that govern us and the fundamental rights of all citizens guaranteed by local and international standards. In some countries the Minister’s unfortunate utterances would be more than enough grounds to call for his resignation.
We implore the Minister to take the time to carefully and meticulously find feasible strategies to combat crime and chose his words with care, since he will be accountable for any outcome that they generate. To that end he could perhaps read, and implement, some of the recommendations from the myriad of reports written on how to solve the crime problem and work with the other relevant ministries and parliament to:
- Enhance the police capabilities to solve crime;
- Improve the ballistic, forensic and pathological capabilities to operate effectively;
- Enhance the capabilities of the Criminal Justice System to deal with matters expeditiously and justly;
- Heighten social intervention in economically depressed communities;
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