Dancehall veteran Bounty Killer is not a fan of the Jamaican government’s implementation of states of emergency (SOEs) around the island to fight crime.

SOEs allows security forces to detain and deport suspicious persons, enter premises, and seize property without a warrant. The crime-fighting strategy has been a staple in the Andrew Holness-led administration since the first one was declared in January 2018 for the parish of St James.

But in a video that has now gone viral on social media, Bounty Killer very adamantly states that he believes the money that is being used to fund SOEs should be diverted into social programmes for at-risk youth.

“We inna di ghetto regular, no little sports programme, no little education programme, no little music programme. Those things lead back towards dysfunction in the society, people nuh value life certain way anymore,” he said.

“You heard dem seh peace mananagement, dem a break it down dem nuh bada want no peace management. All the little people dem weh go round and talk to the youths dem and encourage them not be bad boys, dem nuh want put no more money inna dat, dem want put it inna SOE alone,” he added.

The root of crime

The Poor Peoples’ Governor said only with the implementation of social programmes can the country truly address the root of crime.

“It’s a social dysfunctional problem, moral issue, self-value issue, financial issue, unemployment issue, broken home issue, dysfunctional parent issue. A whole heap a tings and the social development not happening. We only have states of emergency looking for the bad boys, who’s looking for the good boys?

Bounty Killer is also not convinced that SOEs are a deterrent for criminals. “SOE round deh suh, and six-month-old baby a dead same way. So yuh see seh SOE a nuh the problem, a need wi need fi go round deh suh, and change the lifestyle, the focus, and the outlook, of the people,” he said.

“We need to go teach dem the value of life. We have to help the young people of the country, especially the young boys dem.”