KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Desmond McKenzie has condemned this morning's attacks on six homeless men in the Corporate Area that left five of them dead.

In a statement a short while ago, the minister expressed shock at the killings noting that, “we have since learned that they were all chopped by their attacker or attackers.”

“While these are clearly horrific and criminal acts, I am left to wonder if this is the outcome of an outburst of madness. It challenges me to do even more for our homeless population,” the minister noted.

“Although we provide a full range of services at the drop-in centres, including overnight accommodation, many of our homeless brothers and sisters use them, but prefer to stay on the streets, thus making them even more vulnerable to organised or random attacks,” he added.

Mckenzie appealed to members of the homeless population to make use of shelters.

“Even as the police work to solve these assaults and murders, I am appealing to our homeless people to make greater use of these facilities that are dedicated to them. They are staffed by committed professionals who continue to provide total care for all who visit,” he said.

“This incident also revives the daily challenge to us all to be a far gentler society, and to ensure that the vulnerable among us are never seen or treated as expendable,” he added.