SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland – The Westmoreland business community is lamenting the spike in murders and shootings in the parish and is calling on Government to put measures in place to combat the increase in criminal violence.

“The Government needs to come with a plan to fight crime,” a seemingly frustrated Lamar Whyte, chief executive officer of Eclipse Windows and Doors, stressed.

“Every day you hear COVID-19 on the news, and guns killing us more than COVID. For every one person that COVID kills, the gun kills five, yet we don’t see a press conference on how the Government plans to tackle crime in the country. We need a crime vaccine.”

According to data from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, up to May 19 this year, the parish recorded 33 murders — five more than the corresponding period last year.

While there is a roughly 18 per cent increase in murders, shootings rose by 57 per cent during the period, moving from 30 as at May 19, 2020 to 47 over the corresponding period this year.

Last month, the parish was rocked by an increase in gun attacks, which left at least six people dead over a three-day span.

According to the Westmoreland police, a high percentage of juveniles are involved in murders and other major crimes in the parish.

Earlier this week, a 15-year-old boy, who is accused of accidentally shooting his six-year-old cousin, Jadaine Miller, while playing with an illegal firearm, was taken into custody for questioning.

Police report that about 2:30 pm on Monday, the six-year-old was among a group of children playing when an explosion was heard.

Jadaine was subsequently discovered lying in a pool of blood, suffering from a gunshot wound to the back. He was taken to Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

“It is particularly concerning, the continued involvement of at-risk youth in the commission of major crimes throughout the parish,” Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Adrian Hamilton, who heads operations in the parish, has said.

“I am talking about juveniles in need of care and protection left on their own by various circumstances but primarily through bad parenting, absence of a positive support system, unloved and unprotected. They are mere pawns to the criminal gangs based in their communities. With no respect or value for the sanctity of life and access to illegal firearms, they become toxic murderers preying on the citizens of the parish.”

Cosmond Jackson, vice-president of Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce, who is also chief executive officer of Time Value Finance, argued that the number of police in the parish is woefully inadequate.

“The Westmoreland Police division is woefully understaffed,” he stressed, citing that as the primary reason for the increase in major crimes in the parish.

He is recommending that the Ministry of National Security puts more boots on the ground in the parish.

“Significantly increase the complement of the police division, our customers are curtailed by fear,” Jackson argued.

People’s National Party councillor/ caretaker for Savanna-la-Mar South division, Jullian Chang, expressed similar sentiments.

“The crime situation we [Westmoreland] are facing is too much… we have to get into the communities. Even have some community policing and more police officers,” she expressed.

She also lamented the high number of youth that are involved in criminal activities.

Jackson believes that the creation of more jobs in the parish will help to curtail crime.

“The Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce is appealing to the Government for investments such as manufacturing and agro-processing in the parish that will create jobs for the many unemployed,” he stated.

Many residents of the parish have over the years relied heavily on tourism and the business process outsourcing industries for employment. But since the onset of COVID -19, many individuals have lost their jobs.

The disenchanted Whyte also suggested that, instead of the nightly curfews imposed by Government to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, Government should introduce the proposed ticketing system for individuals who breach the COVID-19 protocols.

“I think the ticketing system would be good. Bring in the police fi start ticket people. If me know say mi a run taxi and mi haffi go dung di road and when me go dung deh a police a guh give me a $5,000 ticket and give me passenger a $5,000 ticket if him nuh have on a mask, you think me a pick up a passenger without a mask? Come on man. Every time mi go down di road is a five grand ($5,000) ticket that yu nuh. Government needs to be smart. Make money outa COVID and stop make it look like it is a burden to the country. If people no want abide by the rules, make dem start pay. So the ticketing system that they come up with is good. But them move slow with everything, cause all now mi nuh hear like dem say dem implement it. Mi only hear say it pass in a Parliament,” he argued.

Another businessman from Westmoreland, who gave his name only as Kurt, pointed out that “ even with the curfews and lockdowns there is an increase in crime and violence in the parish.”

“Can you imagine what would happen if there wasn’t any curfew?” he questioned