KINGSTON, Jamaica — The People’s National Party (PNP) has stated that it will treat violence not only as a security issue, but as a public health challenge and a social justice concern.

The promise is contained in the party’s 2025 election manifesto, ‘Jamaica Love’, which was unveiled at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday evening.

“We will reduce violence by investing in prevention, addressing root causes and strengthening trust between citizens and law enforcement,” the document states.

It notes that, “From 2016 to the present, Jamaica has lost almost 13,000 lives to violent crime, with the annual murder rate averaging 25 per cent higher than under the previous PNP administration for the first eight years.”

According to the manifesto, “More Jamaicans have been murdered in the two terms of this JLP administration than in any other two terms in the history of Jamaica. That failure must be acknowledged.”

The PNP says, “The significant reduction in murders this year marks a welcome shift after many years of misguided policies and reflects the effectiveness of evidence-based, focused policing versus the unconstitutional and ineffective states of emergency (SOE) promoted by the Holness administration.”

“The elimination of routine SOE use, combined with targeted enforcement and community programmes, validates the PNP’s long-held position. Now, Jamaica can chart a new course, one based on justice, data and hope.”

The manifesto outlines that, “The PNP will treat violence as a public health issue shaped by poverty, trauma and exclusion.”

— Lynford Simpson