MANCHESTER, Jamaica— Manchester Central Member of Parliament Rhoda Crawford says the Government is paying special attention to the crime situation in the south-central parish and has deployed more resources to tackle the problem.

Crawford, while speaking with the media following a tour of the Mandeville market on Saturday, sought to reassure vendors.

A day earlier, two gunmen shot and killed two people and injured five others at the side entrance of the market. Reports suggest that the gunmen were after one of the victims, identified only as ‘Wet Up’. A woman, Melissa Merchant, also died in the incident.

READ: Two dead, several injured in shooting at Mandeville Market

Crawford said the incident has rocked Manchester.

“The incident has largely shaken up the entire constituency, the Mandeville community, the entire parish, she said.

Forty-one people have been killed so far this year in Manchester.

“Since the start of the year we have had about 40 murders, it is very unacceptable, but what we want to continue to assure the public is that the security forces continue to do the very best that they can,” said Crawford.

“The Government continues to give the security forces the necessary support. I have spoken with (National Security) Minister (Dr Horace) Chang he has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to pay special attention to the parish of Manchester, so more resources will be [deployed] so that the security forces will have all the necessary means to continue to fight the crime monster,” she added.

She commended the Manchester police for a high cleared-up rate for crimes committed in the parish.

“Despite the incidents of crime and violence against the parish and around the constituency I still have to commend the security forces, because they continue to do an excellent job. They have been very responsive and here in Manchester in terms of solving crime they have a record of above 80 per cent, so that is very commendable, so the general appeal to the public is of course safety, but we want the public to continue to tell the police what they know,” she said.

“We can’t fight crime on our own. Government stakeholders, the security forces all of us together we have to join hands… We want to assure the public that the market is safe. Persons have been coming out,” added Crawford.

She said she will continue to lobby for repairs to the market.

“Some vendors have pointed out the state of the market. There is a need for repairs even though it is the responsibility of the municipal corporation, as Member of Parliament I spoke with Minister Desmond McKenzie and I know that the government has identified funds to see to the repair of the market, so in short order we will see repairs to the Mandeville market,” she said.

— Kasey Williams