ST ANDREW, Jamaica – A state of emergency (SOE) has been declared across the St Andrew South police division and sections of St Andrew Central.

The announcement follows a significant increase in violent criminal activities particularly in communities such as Waltham Park Road, Maxfield Avenue, and Waterhouse, which has now gone beyond the police’s ability to stabilize, the government said in a release late Wednesday.

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Describing the locations as “hotspots for gang-related warfare”, the release cited the violence in the areas as a public safety risk to residents, commuters and bystanders given their use as public thoroughfares.

“Under a State of Public Emergency, enhanced security measures will allow security forces to disrupt criminal networks, apprehend perpetrators, and create an environment conducive to sustainable peace. These measures will continue to be implemented with strict adherence to constitutional safeguards and the protection of citizens’ rights,” the government said.

The government says it will also continue to address root causes of violence in these communities by actively engaging stakeholders to ensure that accompanying social intervention programmes will provide long-term solutions to the social and economic challenges faced by residents.
The boundaries of the SOE are defined as follows:

East: Starting at the foot of Red Hills at the intersection of Perkins Boulevard, Molynes Road and Red Hills Road, extending in a south-easterly direction along Molynes Road to its intersection with Hagley Park Road and Eastwood Park Road. Continuing in a westerly direction along Hagley Park Road to the intersection with Omara Road, and then onto Chisholm Avenue to the point of intersection with Maxfield Avenue.

South: Extending in a south-westerly direction from the intersection of Chisholm Avenue and Maxfield Avenue, along Maxfield Avenue onto East Avenue to the coastline in the vicinity of Petrojam and extending along the said coastline in the vicinity of the Kingston Container Terminal to the Portmore Causeway Bridge.

West: Continuing in a north-westerly direction from the Portmore Causeway Bridge along the Fresh River and the shared parish border of St Andrew and St Catherine to the west of Riverton, and extending to the vicinity of the western most end of Belvedere Road to Ferry secondary road.

North: Extending in an easterly direction along Belvedere Road to Ferry Road to the foot of Red Hills at the intersection of Perkins Boulevard, Molynes Road and Red Hills Road, the start point.