SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — Head of the Westmoreland Police Division, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Egbert Parkins, has attributed the increase in the number of killings in the parish since the start of the year to an increase in gang activities.

Seventy-seven people have been killed in Westmoreland since January, compared with 58 for the same period last year.

“The gangs are responsible for 45 or 58 per cent of these murders… So you see that there is an increase as a result of increased gang activities,” SSP Parkins said yesterday afternoon at a press conference at his Westmoreland offices.

The parish has recorded 267 major crimes so far this year, compared to the 215 recorded for the same period last year.

Shootings have accounted for 87 of the major crimes when compared with 57 last year, while rape is at 25, aggravated assault is at eight, there were 41 robberies, 26 break-ins, and three cases of larceny.

According to the SSP, there are currently 16 active gangs in Westmoreland. He said the gangs are located in the capital town Savanna-la-Mar, Bethel Town, Morgans Bridge, Little London, and Negril.

SSP Parkins said six of the 16 gangs have connections to gangs in Hanover and St James.

“There is a trend where conflicts have started in Hanover or St James, and the person seeks refuge in Westmoreland; he or she is sought and killed in this parish. So you see, there is a real connection between the gangs operating in St James and the gangs operating in Westmoreland,” SSP Parkins argued.

He also pointed out that Westmoreland is unique as motorcycles are the gangs preferred mode of transportation when carrying out their activities, which is posing a challenge to the police.

The SSP said the gangs are financed through scamming, drug-running, contract killings, and the staging of parties.

“You will hear complaints that the management in Westmoreland not giving permission to people to hold parties. However, a lot of these persons who are applying are members of gangs, scamming groups,” SSP Parkins asserted.

“It is important to note that we cannot allow gangsters and scammers to legitimise their ill-gotten gain or to make more money so that they can use it to buy ammunition and firearms. We cannot allow them more money to control communities and to buy out witnesses,” SSP Parkins said.

— Anthony Lewis