Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
PNP says PM misleading the public on Opposition’s stance on SOEs
PNP Senator Peter Bunting
Latest News
January 8, 2022

PNP says PM misleading the public on Opposition’s stance on SOEs

KINGSTON, Jamaica- The People’s National Party (PNP) says Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ claim that there has been an agreement with the Opposition that where the murder rate was 32 per 100,000, then the use of states of emergency (SOEs) would be considered reasonable and justified, is false.  

Calling the prime minister’s statement a blatant lie to the public, in a press release shortly after Holness’ press briefing announcing the Zone of Special Operation (ZOSO) in Parade Gardens, Kingston, the PNP said, “The Government continues gaslighting the public on this issue even though the prime minister and his ministers [Horace Chang and Matthew Samuda] know it to be false.”

Adding that as recently as November 2021, this issue was raised in a Crime Monitoring and Oversight Committee (CMOC) emailed dialogue where it was asserted that a statement in the Crime Consensus document meant that the Opposition agreed to the use of SOEs, PNP Senator Peter Bunting said, “As a member of CMOC, and as Opposition Spokesman on National Security, I responded [that] this statement conflates the use of the military with the declaration of an SOE. This is a perpetuation of a falsehood, and the Opposition wishes to distance itself from any such statement proposed to be made by the CMOC, and would ask that this position be made clear in the release [by CMOC].”

Bunting also stated that the Chairman of CMOC, Lloyd Distant clarified the issue by saying, “The consensus explicitly spoke to use of the military, as permitted by law, because we did not have fulsome agreement from all the parties on the specific use of the SOE’s. The phrase ‘permitted by law’ recognised that it is Parliament’s responsibility to determine what would be lawful and best in each instance – the stakeholders did not seek to direct or dictate on the specifics of SOE’s vs ZOSO’s in any way.” 

Bunting went on to say that the Opposition is willing to cooperate and make constructive recommendations to help the government combat crime.  

“This is most recently evidenced as the Government finally heeded our repeated calls for a ZOSO in Central Kingston this morning. However, it is difficult to effectively cooperate with an administration as insincere and fundamentally dishonest as this Holness- led JLP [Jamaica Labour Party] administration is proving itself to be,” he said. 

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Spain defeat Austria 3-0 to reach World Cup last 16
International News, Latest News, World Cup
Spain defeat Austria 3-0 to reach World Cup last 16
July 2, 2026
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP)—Spain coasted past Austria and into the World Cup last-16 on Thursday, thoroughly outclassing their opponents in a 3-...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Thompson Town High to get $15m smart greenhouse lab
Latest News, News
Thompson Town High to get $15m smart greenhouse lab
July 2, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information will be investing $15 million to establish a smart greenhouse laboratory ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Rubio says USA ‘screwed’ by World Cup red card
International News, Latest News, World Cup
Rubio says USA ‘screwed’ by World Cup red card
July 2, 2026
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday his country's World Cup team had been "screwed" and ca...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Marcia Griffiths, Beenie Man to light up Independence celebrations in Lauderhill
Entertainment, Latest News
Marcia Griffiths, Beenie Man to light up Independence celebrations in Lauderhill
BY KEVIN JACKSON Observer Writer 
July 2, 2026
Veteran singer Marcia Griffiths and dancehall veteran Beenie Man are the headliners for this year’s Jamaica Independence celebration in Lauderhill, Fl...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Changes coming for schoolboy football
Latest News, Sports
Changes coming for schoolboy football
July 2, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) is considering another tweak in the structure of the upcoming schoolboy foot...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
NSWMA dismisses reports Tank-Weld donated water trucks to the agency
Latest News, News
NSWMA dismisses reports Tank-Weld donated water trucks to the agency
July 2, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica—The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has moved to dismiss what the agency has described as ‘misleading reports’ tha...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Trump’s massive July 4 firework show raises health alarms
International News, Latest News
Trump’s massive July 4 firework show raises health alarms
July 2, 2026
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—An "unforgettable" tribute to America, or a health hazard that will terrorise animals and pollute the environment? Tha...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
JLP dismisses PNP’s parliamentary democracy claims as ‘barefaced lies’
Latest News, News
JLP dismisses PNP’s parliamentary democracy claims as ‘barefaced lies’
July 2, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has dismissed claims by the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) that parliamentary democracy i...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct