An emotional Prime Minister Andrew Holness lamented the crime epidemic in Jamaica, saying he goes to his bed at nights with the murders of innocent Jamaicans on his conscience.
Addressing the congregation at the annual ‘Heal the Family, Heal the Nation’ National Day of Prayer service in Portmore, St. Catherine, Holness made reference to the murder of 10-year-old Jezariah Tyrell in Central Kingston and the double-murder of two brothers in Westmoreland, both of which happened over the last week. He noted an appeal from a family member of one of the brothers and apologized.
“I am so sorry about it. And the sister saying “Prime Minister, I just want to talk to you about it.” It’s an appeal to hear what are our leaders are doing about this. She’s not quarrelling, she’s not blaming… she didn’t even sound angry. Obviously, she was distraught, but she says Prime Minister just come talk to me about it. Help me to make sense of it. Why dem kill my brother? Why you kill the 10-year-old? Why? I go to my bed with these things on my conscience every night,” Mr. Holness stated.
“I know that I have tried,” Holness added, close to tears, with his voice cracking.
Holness’s comments came just days after a release from the Jamaica Constabulary Force revealed that the country had seen a 10 percent increase in murders for 2021. According to the preliminary figures, the St Andrew South Police Division, which covers more than 20 inner-city communities, accounted for 164 murders in 2021, the most in any single police division for the year. Kingston Central and Westmoreland also reported massive increases.
The Prime Minister said that he has tried his best to put measures in place to fight crime, but hasn’t received enough support from the opposition, People’s National Party.
“It’s a minefield. I have to wonder, are they in support of the criminals in the country? The 10-year-old didn’t have to die, man. We had the SOE down there; we put it in Westmoreland. The two brothers never had to die,” he said.
The Government imposed seven states of emergencies (SOEs) across the country, including Westmoreland and Central Kingston, last November. However, Opposition senators voted not to extend the measures. President of the Jamaican Senate, Tom Tavares-Finson accused the opposition members of putting Jamaica “in grave danger” by voting against the extension. The SOEs expired on November 27.
Later on in his presentation, Holness vowed that the Government will continue to fight against crime, by cracking down on the importation of illegal guns, and passing stronger legislation to tackle illegal firearm possession.
