Among the safest places in the country are the seven Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs) where no criminal activity has been recorded over the past 10 days.

This was disclosed by the Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang during Tuesday’s debate in the House of Representatives on a resolution to extend the ZOSOs by another 60 days.

“There has been no criminal activity in any of the zones, including Denham Town, no shootings,” Chang said.

In recent times, Denham Town in West Kingston has been one of the most challenging ZOSOs and has been the site of confrontations between residents and members of the Jamaica Defence Force.

In April, a civilian in the community was shot dead, reportedly by a soldier, during operations by a joint mobile patrol team on Saturday.

The deceased was identified as Horaine Glenn of a Charles Street, Kingston address.

READ: JDF appeals to West Kingston residents to cooperate with security forces after fatal shooting

In May, the JDF launched a probe after a video showed soldiers beating civilians with a gun.

READ: JDF launches probe after video shows soldiers beating civilians with gun

Apart from Denham Town, the other ZOSOs are located in Parade Gardens and Greenwich Town in Kingston, August Town in St Andrew, Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland as well as Norwood and Mount Salem in St James.

Chang said the outlook in all the ZOSO communities is positive as they continue to see a reduction in criminal activities with no murders reported as of June 12.

The parliamentary Opposition supported the resolution to extend the ZOSOs but Opposition leader Mark Golding pointed out that the overall crime situation in the rest of the country was disturbing. He pointed to Spanish Town, which has seen an upsurge in murders over the past few weeks, driven by what the police say are internal gang feuds.

“The ZOSO is an important aspect of the solution but it is insufficient. We look forward to hearing, as time goes by, in the near future, further strategies that are being employed (by the government),” Golding told his colleagues.

Golding also said he was pleased to see the sharp increase in the number of illegal firearms being seized by the security forces in recent months.

“We applaud that and we hope that that continues and we would like to see that reflected in a reduction in the number of shootings and murders, in particular involving firearms which we haven’t yet seen but we’re hoping to see,” Golding said.

The JDF’s comments came following the shooting death of a civilian in the community, reportedly by a soldier, during operations by a joint mobile patrol team on Saturday.

“An internal investigation into the incident is being conducted and the JDF continues to cooperate with INDECOM and the civil authorities as required,” said the JDF statement issued on Sunday.

The deceased has been identified as Horaine Glenn of a Charles Street, Kingston address.