CHIEF Executive Officer of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) Dennis Chung has described Government’s move to further invest in the country’s crime- fighting efforts as a step in the right direction.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness on the weekend reiterated that Government was making investments in national security assets to cut the flow of illegal weapons into the island, limit the movement and activities of gangs, intercept criminals in the act, and create a real deterrent.

Holness said, too, that Government was putting in place a new national security architecture that will better integrate all the crime-fighting resources which are not all in the Ministry of National Security, in an effort to bring the homicide rate down.

On Monday, Chung said the PSOJ was happy Holness has come out and addressed the problem. He said the prime minsiter’s statement forms part of a wider plan in crime- fighting efforts, following announcements to spend a further $2 billion this financial year, and plans to allocate $12 billion in the next financial year in this regard.

“This is a move in the right direction and the fact that he speaks about the border and the border security I think that’s the right approach. In order to mop up water, then, you have to turn off the tap first, and the border is very porous now. It hasn’t been addressed for a very long time and that is the first step, I think, in stopping the flow of guns into the country. We applaud that effort,” Chung told the Jamaica Observer.

Additionally, Holness said that his Government was committed to stamping out corruption following the latest decline in ranking on the Corruption Perceptions index.

“We are not satisfied with the recent ranking that we have and we are going to redouble our efforts to ensure that Jamaica improves its standing on the corruption perception index. This Government is absolutely committed to that. We think it is an important part of attracting investors to our country and so we are going to redouble efforts,” he said.

He said that the “marginal” decline in the perception index is due to the pace at which the country is moving to implement the various pieces of legislation. This, he said, will be addressed in the next financial year as the Government will ensure that legislation is put in place.

Jamaica is currently ranked 83 out of 176 countries and territories assessed in 2016. The country fell 14 places, having ranked 69 in 2015.

“One of the things that I think we need to do is we need to settle this matter of what we’re going to be doing about the single anti-corruption agency, and strengthen offices like INDECOM (Independent Commission of Investigations) and the [Office of the] Contractor General (OCG) in a very visible way so that people can see that,” the PSOJ boss said on the matter.

He pointed to the operation carried out by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency at the tax office in Cross Roads on Friday as a step in the right direction, and insisted that more of these operations are needed.

“I think if we do that then definitely, we will see some improvements. I think strengthening these institutions; ensuring that there is confidence and trust in the police force; putting money behind OCG and INDECOM, the public defender’s office — resources are needed there, those things will help with perception of the fact that we are dealing with corruption,” Chung continued.

He noted that while the decline is cause for concern, it has not proven to be a sustained one. He said what is more important that the perception is the matter of crime and lotto scamming.

“That’s a huge turn-off. The general level of lawlessness that’s out there, that is also one thing. If people live in an environment that is lawless then they’re going to have a negative perception,” Chung said, adding that he does not believe that the recent ranking will deter investors.