Dr. Alvin Bailey the Bishop of the Christian Holiness Church in Jamaica, has called on National Security Minister, Dr. Horace Chang to resign following his statement last week that law enforcement officials should adopt a zero-tolerance approach in defending themselves from armed thugs who confront them.
“It is very clear that he cannot manage the portfolio, so the decent thing to do is resign, or the prime minister should reassign him to another post,” said Bishop Bailey, who in a statement Tuesday, said that the statement is consistent with Chang’s continued poor performance and lack of policies to fight crime and violence.
“At this time in our society, with calculated brutal and senseless killings, our constituted authorities cannot advance policies that promote the current rapidly evolving culture of disregard for law and order,” said Bailey, who in January had made a similar call for Chang to resign, citing the country’s crime wave.
Last Thursday, Chang speaking at a ceremony in Westmorland, the westernmost parish on the island, said “anytime a man take up a gun after police…when him fire him mustn’t miss. And when him get hurt, him get hurt. Once him pull a gun on a police officer, him must be prepared to deal with it”.
Dr Horace Chang said also that he would prefer if the criminal does not then need medical care since that will cost the state “$10 million” (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.008 cents) to save his life.
His comments were condemned by the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) and the human rights lobby group, Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ).
INDECOM, which is charged to undertake investigations concerning actions by members of the security forces and other agents of the State, said a “shoot to kill” policy should not be the State’s response to crime.
It said all public officials should be guided by the Constitution of Jamaica in their statements and actions.
For its part, JFJ labeled Chang’s statement as an “unfortunate stance” that could be “interpreted as tacit approval of extrajudicial killings.
So far this year, Jamaica has recorded 1,108 murders as compared to 1,026 for the same period ending September 17 last year.
