WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — Member of Parliament (MP) for Western Westmoreland, Dr Wykeham McNeill is this morning calling on the Government to take immediate action to stem the crime wave currently gripping the parish and by extension the country.

The MP in a news release from the People’s National Party (PNP) insisted that while the National Crime Plan is being formulated a more targeted approach, which can be implemented immediately is required for the parish, which recorded more than 100 murders in 2016.

He said that the discovery of three bodies in bushes in West End, Negril this week, has brought to 10 the total number of homicides in the parish since the start of the new year, six more than the same time last year.

He stressed that the homicide statistics reflected

KINGSTON, Jamaicain the parish average much higher than the national average per hundred thousand. “The national average for the year 2016 was 50 per hundred thousand, while that of Westmoreland was 79 per hundred thousand for the same period.”

In light of these findings, the MP said he wants to hold discussions with Minister of National Security Robert Montague about the development of a comprehensive strategy specific to the parish to ward off criminals.

He further added that in recent times, the parish has gone from a fairly peaceful place where one could leave their doors and windows open, to number two in murders islandwide, leaving residents in fear for their lives.

“This is not just about crime fighting, but addressing the social issues underlying some of the causes of crime and this needs to be reflected in the strategy going forward” said McNeill.

He said he is now calling on all well thinking Jamaicans to join together, “to let us be our brother’s keeper and do our part to assist the security forces in whatever way we can and restore our beautiful island to one where we can all live peacefully.”