St Catherine PNP councillors want peace
St Catherine Municipal Corporation (SCMC) has raised its voice against the “alarming” rise in violence and antisocial behaviour contributing to social decay in its communities.
The resolution tabled by SCMC councillors Sydney Rose (Treadways Division) and Herbert Garriques (Linstead Division), both representing the People’s National Party (PNP), called the council’s attention to the illegal activities contributing to decay within the communities, and recognised the pivotal role families play in shaping societal values and preventing the breakdown of the family unit.
However, the latest Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) figures show quite a noticeable reduction in murders in both St Catherine police regions so far, falling from 141 to 112 in North St Catherine, or a 20.6 per cent fall in the figures, while South St Catherine has shown a 10.7 per cent drop from 112 murders to 100 in 2022.
Both councillors are convinced that a timely intervention at the family level is paramount but they also expect increased support for the rule of law and protection from criminals.The resolution read:
“Be it resolved that through proactive engagement, counselling to, and tailored intervention strategies, we should aim to rebuild the fabric of our communities and restore hope, and ultimately unity, in our country Jamaica, land we love.
“Be it resolved that their primary objective be to facilitate social intervention initiatives targeting families, with the goal of addressing and mitigating antisocial behaviors and other contributing factors to social decay.
“Be it further resolved that this council petitions the relevant governing bodies and stakeholders to ensure the deployment of qualified social workers in each division across the island;
“And be it further resolved that this resolution be circulated to the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, all municipal corporations, and the Portmore City Municipality, for their support”.
The motion is expected to be relayed to other municipal councils if it is approved by SCMC.
