Amid a flare-up of crime in the old capital, Spanish Town, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness has contended that the government’s response to crime and violence is being hindered by legal challenges and the constant debate about human rights.
Since the start of the week, there have been several deadly shootings in Spanish Town, St. Catherine linked to the One Order Gang. The flare-up of violence has also caused a 48-hour lockdown in some areas of the town.
“I grew up in the heart of Spanish Town and it is not a place that we want to get out of control,” Holness said.
“It has the potential, if it is not dealt with strongly and firmly and immediately, to claim many more lives. The level of organized criminal activity there is a national emergency,” he continued, adding that “the social ethic of Jamaica needs to change to match the irresponsible ethic of those who seek to destroy our society. If you make bad decisions, you must face the consequences.”
Holness said he hears the pleas of frustrated Jamaicans who are fearful for their lives and are constantly questioning his administration’s response to crime and violence.
He argued that legal challenges and debate about rights have hindered the government’s ability to effectively tackle crime in Jamaica.
“We can’t respond because every move we make there is some legal argument, or some political argument being made about the preservation of rights. The rights of who? It is never a debate about the rights of the victims, those people who suffer, those people who are killed, those people who are injured in accidents,” Holness said.
“Justice must be blind, but it cannot be deaf. It has to hear the cries of the victims,” Holness added.
He continued saying that he understands the need of advocates to defend the country’s democracy and rights of the people, but said he is also of the view that disorder will lead to anarchy.
“Where we are now with the average person in Jamaica, is that if they can’t get law, they will settle for order. So, those who believe that their very eloquent pronouncements about rights are finding favor with the masses of the people, what they are doing is increasingly alienating the people from the system of justice and law enforcement,” Holness said,
The prime minister said he no longer has the luxury of “dithering on these matters” and said the government has to act immediately to protect the innocent, law-abiding citizens.
Holness’ comments come amid a public and political debate surrounding Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte’s proposal of a new Bail Act that would deny bail to persons on gun and murder charges.
Under the Jamaican constitution, every person charged with an offence is guaranteed bail, subject to some exceptions to be imposed by a court.
In the past, the Holness administration has also faced criticism and constitutional challenges for its use of States of Emergency (SOEs), specifically as it relates to detaining citizens without charge.
Last year, Prime Minister Andrew Holness promised that in 2022, there would be a comprehensive review of Jamaica’s Constitution to impose stiffer penalties on criminals convicted for illegal possession of guns and on those who import weapons, among other amendments.
