KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Campaign Chairman, Dr Christopher Tufton, says that with the crime crisis currently facing Jamaica, the Government must assert itself, hitting back at recent comments from the People’s National Party (PNP) claiming that the JLP has a ‘warrior mentality’ when fighting crime.

“This country has been kept back to a large extent because of crime and the fear of crime,” Tufton said, speaking during a media conference held by the Jamaica Labour Party on Thursday.

Quoting PNP spokesperson on national security, Peter Bunting, on his comparison of the PNP’s ‘guardian mentality’ versus the JLP’s ‘warrior mentality’, Tufton urged Jamaicans to appreciate the difference between the two major political parties and what it means for their safety and freedom of movement.

“Given the heinous nature of the crimes that we have seen meted out on innocent Jamaicans, sometimes it does take a warrior mentality to respond and to respond within a context, not to disregard human rights, as some would want to claim, but to respond in a way that will recognise the seriousness of these crimes and why it is important to assert yourself as a state…in order to face down the criminals…and the achieve the ultimate objective of making the society safer,” Tufton said.

He claimed the statement from Bunting was condescending to members of the island’s law enforcement arms.

“Implicit in what he is saying is that somehow the security forces are conducting themselves in a manner that should not be supported, and that’s the interpretation, because let’s face it, the Government prescribes policy, the security forces implement…and in criticising us as a Government he’s also technically criticising the work of the security forces. Even though I’ve heard him say otherwise, but in this case, that is how it comes across, and he needs to clarify that,” Tufton added.

The chairman, in citing the 40 per cent drop in serious crimes this year, maintained that the police were doing a commendable job and accused Bunting of being “way off course in his description of how we have approached responding to crime and violence”.

Tufton described Bunting as “out of touch” while pointing out that his own tenure as minister of national security was unsuccessful and ended with crime increasing.

“The difference is we are tough on crime and we get results. He wants to cuddle, and as his own experience has shown, he achieved nothing,” he said.

— Dana Malcolm