Gov’t to step up fight against drug, human traffickers

BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com

Friday, February 03, 2012

THE Government has vowed to keep pressure on drug and human traffickers in its fight against trans-national organised crime.

Karl Hamilton, director of the International Relations Coordination Unit in the Ministry of National Security, said the continued focus on these areas based on the fact that such crimes threaten the sovereignty of Jamaica and her neighbours.

“As a result, we intend to spare no effort on measures to undermine the strategies of these criminals,” Hamilton declared Wednesday.

He was addressing a group of high commissioners and ambassadors accredited to Jamaica to participate in activities to mark Diplomatic Week at the Courtleigh Hotel in Kingston.

“At the start of this year the country faced a worrying upsurge in murders in certain communities. However, as a result of targeted operational activities by the security forces, we [Government] have been able to curtail the spike that threatened to erode the gains made last year,” Hamilton said.

He pointed out that while the fight against crime is a long-standing one with successes and challenges, it was important to highlight the critical support provided by partner countries.

He pointed out that it was only last week that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) destroyed several thousand pounds of cocaine and marijuana seized during 2011 at the country’s borders.

Additionally, he said the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America has organised a firearm training course for approximately 60 law enforcement officials at the JCF Staff College in Twickenham Park, St Catherine.

“The course, which is two weeks long, will include an exercise which will see the destruction of approximately 4,000 obsolete firearms,” said Hamilton.

According to Hamilton, the Government had also seen improvement in the performance of the police and the execution of their legitimate obligations.

“For example, during last year the number of fatal shootings by police declined by 25 per cent. Contrasting this with the increase in the number of persons arrested and charged, we see the gradual movement towards a different style of policing that is consonant with modern policing practices,” he said.

He pointed out that notwithstanding these achievements, the Government is fully aware that the level of crime and violence is still above what obtains in partner countries, particularly in North America and Europe.

“We, therefore, see these successes as a starting point to continue the hard work, and over the next five to eight years the Government is committed to reducing the levels of all major crimes, inclusive of the technological threat of cyber crimes,” Hamilton said.

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Gov’t to step up fight against drug, human traffickers