MONTEGO BAY, St James – Government is working on yet another plan, which it hopes will stem the high level of lawlessness and violence in communities across the country, which has already seen more than 1,000 murders this year.

“.We are working with all the other agencies to develop a community safety plan because we are going to tackle once and for all the disorder, mayhem, violence and lawlessness in our communities,” said Dr Peter Phillips, the security minister.

Phillips, speaking at last Friday’s seminar and awards ceremony at the Irwin High School in St James, as part of the institution’s “Parents Month” celebrations, said stakeholders assisting in formulating the strategy include parents, the Ministry of Health, Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Transport Authority.

The security minister said that although Jamaicans are rated amongst the most talented people in the world “they can only achieve their goals in an environment of order, of peace and of law”.

At the same time, Phillips told the large number of parents and students in attendance at the function that he was very disappointed with the growing need for the Safe Schools programme to be introduced in schools across the island.

This, he said, was one of his biggest disappointments since his ministry partnered with the Ministry of Education to launch the programme.

“The programme started with over 80 schools but since that time it has been expanded to 130 schools,” Phillips said. “But what is even more disturbing is that everyday we get requests from principals, parents and communities to extend the programme to other schools.”

The Safe Schools programme, launched just over two years ago, is aimed at curbing violence in island’s public schools thus creating a safe learning environment for students.

Since its launch, the initiative has resulted in a general trending down of violence-related incidences in schools where it has been implemented.