CHAPELTON, Clarendon — Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang is optimistic that by providing youngsters with jobs that pay $50,000 weekly, in some cases, the Government will be able to break the cycle of continuous criminal activities across the country.

He told Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters at a meeting at the Clarendon North Central constituency conference on Sunday that a programme has already started in St James.

“We are taking young men off the street, literally, to operate heavy-duty equipment. If you drive a trailer truck from Kingston to Montego Bay five times for the week you can make $50,000 for the week. That’s the kind of money that will prevent them from wanting to run behind criminals. If we provide our young men with a better quality of life to earn decently and honestly, they will take it; and that is a part of the mission of the Government,” he said, adding that strengthening the police with the necessary resources will also aid in this process.

The minister said while measures already implemented to decrease crime are working, more still needs to be done to ensure greater results.

“We have to strengthen the police and get the murder rate down, we have to stop the killing now. When we have the states of emergency, we do it faster, we …will continue to provide the tools that will allow the police to work with the citizens to save lives. And in the long run we are going to ensure that our young men who are getting into criminality will be provided with a life with different opportunities to make them grow to be honest, productive people,” Chang, Member of Parliament for St James North Western and deputy prime minister, told his audience.

“Wi fighting crime on two legs to provide you with a police force that has the power, resources and numbers to overcome the active criminals. When I talk to the young men in my community… all of them don’t want a BMW and overnight riches, they want a future for their children and themselves and a safe community. Because when the gun a fire, the bullets fly through window and kill people who don’t even know what is happening on the outside,” he added.

The security minister also spoke of the importance of ensuring effective communication and Internet connectivity for every poor child in achieving quality education because, he said, “that’s how we are going to break the cycle of crime in Jamaica”.