Entertainment events banned in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, for 30 days

Entertainment events in several communities in the parish of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, will be banned for a period of 30 days, due to an increase in crime recently.

Within the last week, some six people have been killed in the usually quiet parish. A 48-hour curfew had also been imposed in sections of the Goshen community in the parish over the weekend.

In a letter dated December 12 to the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, Head of the St Elizabeth Police, Acting Superintendent Coleridge Minto, stated that entertainment events are prohibited in Goshen, Balaclava, Oxford, Union, Content, and Elim.

“In light of the recent increase in murders in the division... the listed police areas are banned from conducting/hosting public events such as dances, parties, round robins, drink-outs, etc.,” the letter stated.

However, a Grand Market will be permitted on December 22 for Balaclava town center. The letter also stated that the ban would be reviewed on January 8, 2024.

Following the recent flare-up of violence in the parish, Everton Fisher, the People’s National Party councillor for the Balaclava Division, appealed to residents to amicably resolve conflicts.

The ban on entertainment events in these communities will put a damper on the Christmas season, as many events have already been planned within the communities.

Other parishes, namely St James, Hanover, Westmoreland, St. Catherine and Clarendon, have had states of emergency imposed due to a recent uptick in crime.  The St Andrew South police division is also under the emergency measure.

Read: More states of emergency for additional parishes in Jamaica