News
Army, police regret end to State of Emergency
BY ALESIA EDWARDS Sunday Observer staff reporter edwardsa@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, July 25, 2010
OCHO RIOS, St Ann — The army and the police are insisting that an extension of the State of Emergency would have strengthened the efforts of the security forces in their push to flush out criminals islandwide.
Defending his organisation's call for an extension of the State of Emergency, Colonel General Staff at the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Rocky Meade, on Friday likened the country's crime problem to a serious illness and said the just-lifted State of Emergency was the antidote.
"I assure you that if you don't allow us to complete the dosage, it's going to be worse next time, so we need your support and the emergency powers would have allowed us to efficiently deal with this problem," Colonel Meade told business leaders Friday during a Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) president's forum at Sunset Jamaica Grande in St Ann.
In a similar vein, Police Commissioner Owen Ellington said: "The work which we started on the 23rd of May is not over. It could not have been completed in the short space of time, between then and now. We were anticipating an extension of those limited powers so we could have completed the job," he said.
Meade noted that the high rates of murder and other crimes in the country were symptoms of an underlying illness which could be effectively treated by an extension of the State of Emergency.
"The high murder rate, as bad as is it, is simply a symptom of the problem we have and you all were not convinced of what the illness was before the 23rd of May," Meade said.
"You've all got to realise what the illness is, but the illness is not yet cured," Meade said. "The operation must be sustained and that continued emergency powers would have further strengthened the security forces' efforts."
The Colonel said the events of May 23, in which organised criminal gangs launched an attack on the security forces, demonstrated that criminal elements were willing and had some ability to challenge the State.
Ellington added that organised crime was one of the most credible threats to the country's national security system.
He, however, said the security forces were committed in the fight against criminals and expressed optimism that the crime fighting strategies now being crafted would be successful.
Between May 23 when the operation started, and last Friday, the security forces said they had seized 113 illegal weapons, including 57 high-powered shotguns and rifles, and more than 15,000 rounds of ammunition in West Kingston.
An additional 29 illegal weapons and more than 1,200 rounds of ammunition have also been seized in the last two months.
For his part, PSOJ President Joseph Matalon again expressed disappointment with the events in parliament on Tuesday which led to the discontinuation of the State of Emergency.
With the Governing Jamaica Labour Party short six of its MPs, the People's National Party (PNP) members abstained en bloc, effectively defeating the Government's motion to extend the limited State of Emergency by a month.
The motion needed at least 31 votes to pass, but though it received all 25 from the JLP, it was not enough against the 18 abstentions by the PNP.
 
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7/26/2010
Its hard to support the PM, and private sector on the SOE question. The PM as a wily polytrician is clearly out to embarass PNP , and they fell for it too. PNP is DIVIDED over their leaders' SOE stance. They should stand, and defend ,and give Mr. Golding a proper fight, not pant and fall down. In fact it is the JLP who ended the SOE. Refusing extension , allowing MP's to travel on eve of vote? Joe Matalon knows this , but in my opinion, is standing with the stronger leader.
7/26/2010
Anyone have any suggestion(s) as to how we get MOST of the guns off the streets ?? Anyone ?
7/25/2010
I thought that once Dudus was captured, there would not be a need for the State of Emergency. The SOE was not intended to be a crime fighting tool.
7/25/2010
What I haven't heard is by how much the crime rate, especially murder has decreased, during the two months of the State of Emergency. If there has been no significant reduction in crime then the call for its continuation is just an excuse to reduce the citizen's rights.
7/25/2010
The JLP/PNP had to end the SOE as the security forces were getting to close to the source of criminal activities in Jamaica.
As such one has to seek to protect that which has provided a significant source of income over the years.
Its time for the people of Jamaica to stop sitting down and wait for the JLP/PNP to destroy the country.
Instead a new constitution needs to be written, once which reduces the influence of the political parties over the people and the security forces in particular.
7/25/2010
@Nicholas Henry. emotional laden & oversimplistic argument about 1600 murdered is becoming tiresome..we know that stats & we also know the many official stats about political/police corruption. So don't pretend that the JLP is so much more concerned about crime & criminality than the PNP. We have a whole county that as become contented with quick fixes and short cut. The SOE is good, but it is not a gold solution. The 2 parties can & should come to a compromise on the SOE. Both are slack.
7/25/2010
All the State of Emergency does is promote inefficient "crime fighting".
The kind where you detain 4200 and can only charge less than 50.
If the security forces "need" the SOE to do their jobs, then maybe we need to change the security forces.
7/25/2010
Two 15-day periods amount to one 30-day period. This is basic arithmetic people, but from the way in which Jamaicans have been expressing themselves, it can be argued that basic arithmetic might be asking too much of us.
Bruce is a savvy POLITICIAN. From his handling of Tivoli to the whole extradition fiasco, Bruce has acted politically. Only in Jamaica can he fool the fools that we are.
Might I remind my fellow Jamaicans that the security forces do not need a SOE to do their jobs well.
7/25/2010
the extension of the state of emergency was reccommended by the pnp for 15 days then based upon the situation it would be given another 15 days,but bruce golding and the jlp prove to worse than the pnp refuse it,30 or none at all,now we all get none at all.and the blame is now been thrown on one side nope,lets all be fair in the fight against crime
7/25/2010
The JDF & the JCF, requested the ext of SOE. The PNP used it's political muscle to block it. I wonder who's interest they have at heart. Is it the 1600 plus Jamaicans murdered anually? Is it the interest of Jamaica, or the intrest of criminals. My GOD. I can't believe they could do something of such. This is the first time ever the security forces have the upper hands on criminals,a golden opportunity, no obvious political interfence, and the PNP is blocking their eforts. WOW''''' I dont know.
7/25/2010
@Joe Robinson, I do concur.
I would also welcome you to join the fight against criminality and corruption in governance. The Security forces are trained and are quite aware of the politicians who have aided and abetted criminals. So why not name them on the lists of "persons of interest also ?.
This would lend credibility and integrity to the fight against crime, would it not ?
7/25/2010
So the PNP fool we again. Dem did sey dat dem want an end to criminality and den dem insted end the state of Emergency. Bway mi glad me neva did so fool fool fi believe dem inna di first place !!
7/25/2010
We should have listened to the recommendations of those who are in charged of our security. They are trained to deal with the matter of security, politicians are not. Politicians should keep away from interfering with the work of the security forces. Too long we have been drafting high profile plans that has never worked. Let the security alone, give them our support.
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