It is now being widely reported that former Police Commissioner Colonel Trevor McMillian will replace the embattled Derrick Smith as Minister of National Security a mere eight months in the life of the Golding regime and after Smith shadowed that portfolio for 13 years while in political opposition. While this move may be characterized by its critics as being a mere palliative to appease an increasingly frightened populace, it represents an opportunity for the Government to amend its policing and security policies in an effort to improve their efficacy. Indeed, Jamaica has the dubious distinction of being recognized as the murder capital of the world – given the highest per capita murder rate, followed by El Salvador, Guatemala and Venezuela. Jamaica’s per capita murder statistics are particularly chilling, in so far as they are approximately 8 times what obtains in North America and approximately 30 times the Western / Central Europe average. Indeed as at 2007, the number of reported crimes in Jamaica increased, resulting in an 15.8 percent in the overall crime rate to 1,244 per 100,000 relative to 2006 when it had declined to 1,074 per 100,000. The murder rate also increased to 59 per 100,000 in 2007 versus 50 per 100,000 recorded in 2006. Further with the 500 mark already being exceeded for 2008 to date, in terms of murders and some 119 murders being committed in the month of April alone, Jamaica seems on track to achieve another record year in terms of murder.
The residents of the Seymour Lands, Trafalgar Park and the residential sections of New Kingston while being in the main spared by the escalating murder rate are not taking any chances, with an estimated 50 – 60 percent of all homes being involved in some formal arrangement with one of the private security firms or an informal arrangement with individuals to provide services. However, perversely, the continued success of the private security industry in these communities and the wider Jamaican society is predicated on the continued instability of the society. For its part, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is perceived as being understaffed and under-funded and in need of support in an effort to meet the challenges of today’s crime-ridden society. In this regard for some time now there has been bi-partisan agreement that the establishment of the force should be increased to a minimum of 10,000 from 8,500 but to date nothing has been done
Further, one of the most visible results of Jamaica’s consternation regarding the escalating crime rate is the increasing number of gated communities, as obtains primarily in Seymour Lands and the residential sections of New Kingston, that have been built in an effort to promote the safety of inhabitants. Whereas in the Jamaican context this usually describes an apartment or townhouse complex there are a few which actually describes a group of suburban street blocks whose road exits have been fenced off with the exception of one or more entrances that are monitored by guards, usually employed by a security company most notably Westgate Hills in Montego Bay and the Long Mountain Country Club housing scheme in St Andrew. Legally, the access gates in a gated community are not supposed to deny anyone access; however they nonetheless serve the purpose of deterring traffic and unwanted individuals, and much better monitor the people entering and exiting the gated communities, usually with a register of vehicle license plates or other information. Having a house within a gated community therefore tends to increase its value, and significantly reduces traffic within the gated community.
The communities of Seymour Lands, Trafalgar Park and the residential sections of New Kingston are served by the Matildas Corner and Half Way Tree Police Stations, with additional support being available through the New Kingston Police Post. Nevertheless, the citizenry perceives that they require private security services. This is guided by the fact that the police have been unable to control the incidents of house breaking and larceny, armed robbery, petty thefts, drug pushing, street prostitution and the proliferation of sensuous massage parlours which obtain in the communities despite the Police boasting a national clear-up rate of 79.3 percent in 2007. However, in the Jamaican context “cleared-up” does not mean the successful prosecution of a suspected offender, merely the apprehension or death of a suspect of a particular crime. Indeed, the Police strategy was summarized by Senior Superintendent of Police Reneto Adams who a few years ago publicly dismissed the age old legal maxim that a person is “Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law” as mere “semantics.” Further, the response times from the private security entities are considerably faster, routinely ranging from 3 to 5 minutes whereas in the case of the Police, the responses can range from as low as 3 minutes to hours or non-arrival. This is not aided by the inordinate delays in the answering of the 119 emergency numbers on occasion.
In the final analysis Derrick Smith is likely to be just another casualty of the difficult Ministry of National Security portfolio and his removal will perhaps signal the end of a political career. Calls for his resignation begun almost at the inception of his appointment, escalating to the point of an online petition calling for his dismissal and expressing an absolute lack of confidence in his abilities, albeit within an 8-month period including a month long absence because of illness. For his part Colonel McMillan upon his appointment as Police Commissioner some years ago was asked during an interview with noted talk-show host Wilmot Perkins “Do you think you can walk on water?” Whereas the response was obviously no, the imperatives that face Col McMillan are significant and in fact are even more daunting than what obtained in his abbreviated stint as Commissioner. No doubt he will be seeking to establish his bonafides quickly and seek to fast track the implementation of his 2006 Crime Plan titled "A Roadmap to a Safe and Secure Jamaica", however his exuberance must be guided by the adage “There is no peace without justice”!
The residents of the Seymour Lands, Trafalgar Park and the residential sections of New Kingston while being in the main spared by the escalating murder rate are not taking any chances, with an estimated 50 – 60 percent of all homes being involved in some formal arrangement with one of the private security firms or an informal arrangement with individuals to provide services. However, perversely, the continued success of the private security industry in these communities and the wider Jamaican society is predicated on the continued instability of the society. For its part, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is perceived as being understaffed and under-funded and in need of support in an effort to meet the challenges of today’s crime-ridden society. In this regard for some time now there has been bi-partisan agreement that the establishment of the force should be increased to a minimum of 10,000 from 8,500 but to date nothing has been done
Further, one of the most visible results of Jamaica’s consternation regarding the escalating crime rate is the increasing number of gated communities, as obtains primarily in Seymour Lands and the residential sections of New Kingston, that have been built in an effort to promote the safety of inhabitants. Whereas in the Jamaican context this usually describes an apartment or townhouse complex there are a few which actually describes a group of suburban street blocks whose road exits have been fenced off with the exception of one or more entrances that are monitored by guards, usually employed by a security company most notably Westgate Hills in Montego Bay and the Long Mountain Country Club housing scheme in St Andrew. Legally, the access gates in a gated community are not supposed to deny anyone access; however they nonetheless serve the purpose of deterring traffic and unwanted individuals, and much better monitor the people entering and exiting the gated communities, usually with a register of vehicle license plates or other information. Having a house within a gated community therefore tends to increase its value, and significantly reduces traffic within the gated community.
The communities of Seymour Lands, Trafalgar Park and the residential sections of New Kingston are served by the Matildas Corner and Half Way Tree Police Stations, with additional support being available through the New Kingston Police Post. Nevertheless, the citizenry perceives that they require private security services. This is guided by the fact that the police have been unable to control the incidents of house breaking and larceny, armed robbery, petty thefts, drug pushing, street prostitution and the proliferation of sensuous massage parlours which obtain in the communities despite the Police boasting a national clear-up rate of 79.3 percent in 2007. However, in the Jamaican context “cleared-up” does not mean the successful prosecution of a suspected offender, merely the apprehension or death of a suspect of a particular crime. Indeed, the Police strategy was summarized by Senior Superintendent of Police Reneto Adams who a few years ago publicly dismissed the age old legal maxim that a person is “Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law” as mere “semantics.” Further, the response times from the private security entities are considerably faster, routinely ranging from 3 to 5 minutes whereas in the case of the Police, the responses can range from as low as 3 minutes to hours or non-arrival. This is not aided by the inordinate delays in the answering of the 119 emergency numbers on occasion.
In the final analysis Derrick Smith is likely to be just another casualty of the difficult Ministry of National Security portfolio and his removal will perhaps signal the end of a political career. Calls for his resignation begun almost at the inception of his appointment, escalating to the point of an online petition calling for his dismissal and expressing an absolute lack of confidence in his abilities, albeit within an 8-month period including a month long absence because of illness. For his part Colonel McMillan upon his appointment as Police Commissioner some years ago was asked during an interview with noted talk-show host Wilmot Perkins “Do you think you can walk on water?” Whereas the response was obviously no, the imperatives that face Col McMillan are significant and in fact are even more daunting than what obtained in his abbreviated stint as Commissioner. No doubt he will be seeking to establish his bonafides quickly and seek to fast track the implementation of his 2006 Crime Plan titled "A Roadmap to a Safe and Secure Jamaica", however his exuberance must be guided by the adage “There is no peace without justice”!
3 comments:
Big deal! When he was Commissioner he wasn't particularly effective and I am not very optimistic. Just last week there were 25 break-ins in Hope Pastures alone. Is there any increased police activity arising out of that reality? No. I expect nothing but some more public relations
Derrick Smith was out of his depth. Should never have been appointed in the first place. K D Knight must be laughing himself silly.
Stop seeking a messiah to deliver Jamaica from crime. Focus must be placed on the social, economic and political ills of this country. Crime will always be a part of any society but without addressing the core issues, there will be a constant changing of the guard with no real solutions in sight.
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