Gang Killings on the Rise in Jamaica

Jamaica has been spiraling downwards in fighting the growing rash of gang-related shootings on the island. The tiny Caribbean island has surpassed another shameful milestone with the murder of seven innocent people. It seems as though the continued degradation of civil society has highlighted the blatant reality that the corrective actions applied in the past and present are not working. The situation is dire and well beyond the scale of counter insurgency tactics necessary to bring the violence under control. The behavior of these gangs are barbaric, to say the least, and it is unfathomable why the Jamaican Constabulary Force does not summon assistance from countries with far more superior crime-fighting capabilities than Jamaica. Everyday when I read the news from Jamaica the headlines are blaring with some heinous crimes committed by these gangs in the inner-city communities. Two men were killed yesterday night and five others shot and injured during an attack on residents in the inner-city community of Waterhouse, located in Kingston. According to the police, the two men were among a group of people playing dominos at the intersection of Unity Lane and Unity Avenue, when men armed with high-powered rifles and handguns approached and indiscriminately started firing. The residents in the area blamed the attack on an ongoing turf war between men from a section of Waterhouse called "Just Cool" and men from the lower section of Unity Lane. It should be painstakingly obvious to all that something drastic must be done and by simply saying that peace and love alone will suffice is bordering on insanity.

The Ministry of National Security has formulated a plethora of plans to combat this maniacal violence, but these plans are simply not enough. Former Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller unveiled a so-called comprehensive plan in her budget before she left office. Her plans included upgrading some of the police stations, provision of more vehicles and equipment to security forces and strengthening the intelligence gathering facilities. Other measures included the implementation of a new state-of-the-art Automated Palm and Fingerprinting Identification System and an Integrated Ballistic Information System, as well as establishment of the National Firearms Licensing Authority. The government also passed the Proceeds of Crime Act which give the country the power to seize the assets of criminals. She said that in order for the security forces to be effective in discharging their responsibilities, they need the support, trust and confidence of the Jamaican citizens and communities. Herein lies the irony... how can the poor residents of the affected communities possibly support, trust and have confidence in a police force that seems to be unable to stem the rising tide of senseless and barbaric killings.

Last year I went to Kingston to visit some relatives I have there. I was amazed to see how ineffective the police force was and to see that the previous government did not bother to provide the police with the latest vehicles. Even the criminals drive faster and better cars. I was equally amazed at the fact that the government spent in excess of JA$5 billion to erect a cricket stadium in Trelawney to host the Cricket World Cup and there were more pressing needs that could have been met with that money, namely fighting crime, upgrading the police equipment, vehicles and crime-fighting methods. Clearly, there is a very serious disconnect that must be bridged or Jamaica is definitely heading down the wrong path and it will have an adverse effect on the "precious" tourist industry. With the change of the administration, new thinking and tactics are expected to yield positive results, specifically demonstrable results.

The Jamaican Constabulary Force (JCF) statistics show that for the first seven months of 2007, the number of homicides grew by 14.5 percent to 968, a growth rate that has put the island's homicide rate at 56 per 100,000 by the end of the year. The escalating security costs, depressed consumer activity and a general lack of productivity are some of the adverse effects the crime rate has had on businesses on the island. Many reports have highlighted the detrimental effect this has had on the overall economy. The cost of crime, which has been placed as high as US$850 million by some estimates, has had a crippling effect on the Jamaican economy. There will be a major boost to economic growth by effectively fighting crime. This view was strongly supported by a joint report by the United Nations and the World Bank. The report, Crime, Violence and Development: Trends, Cost and Policy Options in the Caribbean, released March 2007, has stated that Jamaica could increase its economic growth per capita by 5.4 percent if it were to bring its homicide rates down to level of Costa Rica. Costa Rica's homicide rate is 8.1 per 100,000 persons and is far better than the worldwide average of nine percent.

I believe that the solution to Jamaica's problems should start by restoring a general discipline to individuals. There seems to be no fear of the law on the island. For example, while I visited the island last year, I noticed that on a two lane road, there were suddenly four lanes of traffic, with no police in sight, nor any enforcement through traffic cameras to catch violators. Major crimes start with a general breakdown in discipline in any society. In essence, since the government cannot control the rampant indiscipline on the roads of Jamaica, how can it be expected to tackle crime and more importantly, gang warfare? The new administration led by Prime Minister Bruce Golding has some ambitious plans, which include increasing the strength of the JCF to 12,000, to intensify the graduate entry and accelerated promotion programs to improve the quality of management of the force, to improve forensic capability by providing appropriate technology, training and recruiting the necessary expertise, as well as establishing a National Intelligence Agency with appropriate technology and expertise. All these plans look great on paper, but they must be implemented with the greatest sense of urgency possible.

Too many innocent Jamaicans are losing their lives to these heinous acts by these worthless gangs. A state of public emergency would definitely jeopardize the tourist industry, but a fundamental move must be made and must prevail. The government must impress upon the U.S. authorities to intensify their interdiction measures at their ports to stem the flow of illegal weapons. The government must call upon the military to aid the JCF. The JCF should perform regular sweeps of locations known to be harboring criminals, as well as other hostile elements in the society. For what it is worth, maybe the government should consider reintroducing capital punishment. It will, undoubtedly, have a positive effect on the crime rate. There is no easy solution to this problem, but drastic measures must be taken so that the country will not be held captive by these worthless and ambitionless thugs. The Jamaican motto is "out of many, one people," which speaks to the diversity of the island. It is also telling every Jamaican on the island to rise up as one and stop the criminals from wreaking so much havoc. Jamaica unite!