LONDON – Prime Minister P J Patterson today held bilateral talks with his British Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street in London.

The discussions, according to Jamaica House, focused on a wide number of issues which included a request for the UK to render additional support in the fight against crime and drug trafficking.

Patterson, according to a Jamaica House statement, noted that Jamaica enjoyed good bilateral relations with Britain and that these relations had been deepened over the years, as the two countries collaborated on matters of mutual security interest. He said Jamaica and Britain were working together in fighting narco-trafficking and the importation of illegal firearms. This, Patterson said, had worked significantly well as evidenced by the fact that there had been a reduction in the transshipment of cocaine through Jamaica.

Patterson told Blair that Operation Kingfish, the police unit set up recently to fight narcotics trafficking and gangs, has been reaping significant successes, and pointed out that a number of legislative changes would be implemented to intensify local crime-fighting capabilities. These, he said, would include amendments to the Evidence Act, to permit the presentation of evidence gathered through electronic surveillance to the courts.

The Jamaican prime minister said, however, that additional technical assistance was necessary in the fight against corruption to include the elimination of extortion, improving forensic capabilities and training of police officers.

Prime Minister Blair concurred with Patterson that it was in the UK’s interest to support Jamaica in these areas given the direct link between criminal activities in Jamaican and the impact on Jamaican communities in the UK, said Jamaica House.

Further talks are to take place between Jamaica’s security minister Peter Phillips and Garrett Thomas of the UK government to discuss cooperation for funding, training and technical assistance.