ST JAMES, Jamaica— Custos of St James, Bishop Conrad Pitkin, has underscored that a collaborative approach is needed to combat crime on the island.

“This means asking ourselves ‘how can we come together as a united group to stem the crime and the mayhem?’” he questioned.

Bishop Pitkin was addressing the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) President’s Forum, which was held under the theme ‘Understanding Crime in Jamaica: Exploring the Root Causes and Social Intervention Strategies’. The forum was held at the University of the West Indies (Western Jamaica Campus) in St James, recently.

“Collective and collaborative crime fighting is one of the most promising approaches to stem the monster that we face. We are all conscious that crime seems to be the order of the day in our parish, hence security has become a concern for all our citizens,” the custos said.

He added that pointing fingers at the security forces and simply asking what they are doing to stop crime is not enough.

The forum brought together stakeholders to discuss crime and violence on the island, its far-reaching effects and possible solutions that can be implemented.

The custos said that the forum provided an opportunity for stakeholders to take a closer look at what is happening on the island, particularly in St James.

For his part, President of the MBCCI, Oral Heaven, told stakeholders that crime fighting is a collective responsibility that requires the commitment and collaboration of every member of the Montego Bay community.

Heaven said that the forum should be seen as a testament to “our collective determination to understand, address and overcome the challenges before us”.

As part of the event, a panel of stakeholders, including members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), took part in a question-and-answer session.

-JIS