KINGSTON, Jamaica— Member of Parliament for Central Kingston, Donovan Williams, has traced the significant increase in murders and shootings in the constituency to the date of the last general election.

“This can be traced to September 3, 2020, when three people were shot and injured by armed thugs at the intersection of Foster Lane and Laws Street in the ‘Southside’ district of Parade Gardens,” said Williams.

He was making his maiden presentation in the State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Often criticised by his political opponents for not being more vocal against the upsurge in crime in the constituency, Williams told the House that “since the start of the year, the communities across the constituency have been experiencing a significant increase in murders and shootings”.

Williams said that since election day, the violence has spilled over to other sections of the constituency, resulting in reprisals between rival factions. This, he said has culminated in the current wave of murders and shootings bedevilling the constituency.

“It is important to note that the constituency spans two police divisions, namely the Kingston Central and Kingston Eastern Divisions. For the year 2021 up to September 30, the sections of the constituency which fall in the Kingston Central Division namely Tela-viv, Southside, Allman Town and Rose Gardens have recorded 46 murders,” Williams shared.

Sections of the Franklyn Town, Rae Town and Southside communities fall within the Kingston Eastern Police Division. Up to September 30, some eight murders were recorded in that division compared to eleven for the corresponding period in 2020.

“Five shootings were recorded since January 2021 to date compared to seven shootings for the corresponding period in 2020. Therefore, on the Eastern side of the constituency we have seen marginal improvements,” said Williams.

He publicly commended the hard-working members of both divisions led respectively by Superintendent Beresford Williams (Kingston Central) and Superintendent Tomi-lee Chambers (Kingston Eastern) for their unwavering commitment to upholding law and order in the constituency.

Williams noted that in recent weeks, the police have stepped up their operations in the troubled communities by setting up buffers and conducting joint police/military operations.

“It is worth noting that this is happening in a national ethos, where policing these volatile communities is becoming more challenging,” he stated.

Williams also extended condolences to the family and loved ones of District Constable Kemar Armstrong who was gunned down at his home in Kingston Gardens on September 24.