KINGSTON, Jamaica — Member of Parliament for East Kingston and Port Royal Phillip Paulwell has condemned the ongoing shootings in lower Mountain View Avenue and other sections of his East Kingston constituency.

Paulwell, in a People’s National Party release this morning, also called on the Commissioner of Police and the Minister of National Security to urgently provide additional resources to the East Kingston Police to increase their effectiveness in “dealing with this grave situation”.

He noted that sections of Rockfort and the communities of Jarrett Lane and Brown’s Town have been affected in the most recent spate of shootings.

Paulwell is also appealing to individuals involved in the flare-up to seek legal, non-violent methods such as mediation and restorative justice counselling to resolve their differences and to allow peace and calm to return to the communities.

“The perpetrators of gun violence should recognise that fighting, shooting and killing each other do not provide sustainable solutions to disagreements between members of different communities which appear to be at the heart of the violence,” Paulwell said.

“The ongoing loss of lives and injury to persons cannot be allowed to continue whether or not they are combatants or law-abiding citizens.”

He emphasised that innocent people, including children returning to school, are in danger of being seriously injured or killed as a result of the violence.

“It is sad, regrettable, appalling and inexcusable that the education of our children and the daily routines of persons going about their lawful business are being disrupted in this way,” said Paulwell.

The PNP release said that Paulwell and Councillor for the Springfield Division of the East Kingston constituency, Lorraine Dobson, met with the Superintendent of Police in charge of East Kingston Victor Hamilton on Thursday, August 30 to discuss how the political leadership of the area could assist the efforts of the police to re-establish and maintain law and order.

According to the MP, it is clear from his observations that the police are being hampered by inadequate manpower, equipment and other operational resources as they seek to combat the perpetrators of violence, apprehend the criminals responsible for the mayhem, and reassure the people of the affected communities.