KINGSTON, Jamaica — Despite growing concern over the working conditions of private security guards in Jamaica, the sector was able to recruit 4,824 new employees in 2018.

The newly registered guards increased the total number to 23,704 employed to 298 registered private security companies. They include 4,260 armed guards, and 18,880 unarmed guards. Women account for 30 per cent of the total number.

Kingston and St Andrew accounted for 147 of the 298 registered companies and 6,552 of the 23,704 registered guards, the Planning Institute of jamaica (PIOJ) reported in its 2018 Economic and Social Survey.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security came in for some severe criticism from the Jamaica Society for Industrial Security (JSIS), which represents more than 20 private security companies, in March over its failure to intervene into a complaint that some security companies contracted by government agencies are not compliant with the national minimum wage for the security guards.

The ministry said that it has ordered staff to investigate the companies targeted. However, the report on the outcome of those investigations have not been released.

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Shahine Robinson, is likely to address the issues when she speaks in the sectoral debate in the House of Representatives next week. 

Balford Henry