Government Senator Abka Fitz-Henley on Friday demanded that Opposition spokesman on national security Peter Bunting apologise for previously questioning the accuracy of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) crime statistics.

Fitz-Henley made the demand while responding to Bunting’s commendation of the police for a 44 per cent reduction in murders year to date compared to the corresponding period in 2024.

“This is why I commend the commissioner of Police on the 44 per cent reduction. He has taken an approach of focused deterence, the law enforcement equivalent of spear fishing,” Bunting had told the Senate.

Fitz-Henley hit back and accused the Opposition of taking an inconsistent approach to the issue of the reduction in murders.

“A few days ago, I heard the Opposition spokesman on national security purporting to congratulate the security forces on the major reduction. Indeed, he did so today. This is the same man sir who not long ago moved to question the accuracy of statistics compiled by the Jamaica Constabulary Force and repeated what he said were allegations that murders were being suppressed. This despite no change to the way the statistics are compiled even compared to when he was in office. I say to the Opposition spokesman, shame on you,” Fitz-Henley commented.

The government senator called on Bunting to show contrition.

“Quite frankly, I was disappointed that the Opposition spokesman did not use his contribution today to apologise to the men and women of the JCF and JDF [Jamaica Defence Force] whose hard work and professional integrity he disrespected for political mileage. He should apologise,” Fitz-Henley charged as Bunting in sotto voce comments accused the government senator of misrepresenting the facts.

In a newspaper column on January 5 this year, Bunting wrote “concerns persist about the accuracy of the JCF’s crime statistics, particularly allegations of suppressed murder totals. Reports from internal JCF sources suggest that over 100 deaths are currently classified as “undetermined” pending forensic examination, raising doubts about the reliability of published data. The commissioner should address these concerns quickly and transparently to maintain public trust.”

In October 2023, Bunting had called a media conference and poured cold water on the crime statistics released by then Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson, which showed that up to October 3 in that year, murders were down 12 per cent when compared to the corresponding period in 2022.

READ: Bunting questions crime figures as triple, quadruple murders pile up

The 12 per cent reduction announced by the country’s then top cop had translated to 141 fewer murders up to that time. Overall, Anderson had reported a 13 per cent decline in all major crimes.

During the PNP press conference, Bunting had stated that Jamaicans have “reacted with confusion and disbelief” to the commissioner’s announcement.

He said this was so as “the daily media stories reporting murders, double murders, triple and quadruple murders and shootings, don’t seem to accord with the statements made by the commissioner of police and by the high command.”