ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness has pledged decisive action to address the increase in crime in St Elizabeth.

Holness, who was in the parish on Friday to hand over housing units under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP), expressed concern about the recent spate of shootings, murders and robberies in the typically serene locale.

He pledged that more robust crime-fighting measures will be implemented.

“So, we will be putting in the strongest possible measures in St Elizabeth to ensure that the criminal elements are dealt with in the strongest possible way,” Holness said.

“St Elizabeth, the people and the culture here, is one of peace, hard-working productive citizens, who are largely very much engaged in agriculture and enterprise. So, we find it not in the nature of the parish for these criminal activities to be becoming a feature,” he noted.

For his part, head of the St Elizabeth Police, Acting Superintendent of Police (ASP) Coleridge Minto, said there has been a more than 100 per cent increase in firearm recoveries in 2023 over the previous year.

“We recovered 14 guns in 2022 and in 2023 we recovered some 33 guns,” he pointed out.

He underscored the importance of community involvement, urging residents to report any suspicious activities or individuals, as their cooperation is vital in aiding police investigations and maintaining safety and security in St Elizabeth.

“Certainly, we do need the information. We are going after the guns, the gangs and the gunmen. We are also anticipating the continued recovery of illegal firearms and ensure that St Elizabeth remains a peaceful parish,” he pointed out.

-JIS