KINGSTON, Jamaica – Members of the Senate have condemned the killing of two policemen by gunmen over the last seven days and have extended condolences to their families and colleagues at the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

The slain policemen are Constable Brian Martin of the St Andrew Central Police Division, and Corporal Oliver Mullings who was assigned to the Kingston Western Police Division.

Constable Martin was shot at a wake and Corporal Mullings was killed while on duty in West Kingston.

Speaking during Friday’s sitting of the Senate at Gordon House, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Matthew Samuda, said the government and the Opposition stand united against criminality.

“We know the difficulties of the job, but we understand and can imagine how the families, friends and indeed their co-workers and extended family of JCF are feeling,” he said.

“I thought it important to extend on behalf of the government and I’m sure on behalf of the opposition, our deepest condolences and deepest sympathies and we also say to the JCF, that we stand behind you in this war against criminality and you have our support,” Samuda added.

In offering sympathies to the families of the policemen, Deputy Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate, Donna Scott-Mottley, condemned criminality.

“It is our hope that working together, we can do something about it, so I join in this sad moment, which has been expressed by the minister,” she said.

President of the Senate, Tom Tavares Finson, asked the Clerk of the Houses of Parliament to write appropriately to the Commissioner of Police and to the families of the policemen who were killed.