John Myers Jr
Gleaner Writer

A proposed meeting between Jamaica's two main political leaders to discuss crime is generating hopes that a bipartisan consensus on measures to address the longtime problem is on the horizon.

A joint statement from Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips said that "both leaders held full, frank and confidential discussions on security and crime management in Jamaica".

This is after both leaders met privately at Vale Royal, the official residence of the prime minister. The meeting emanated from an invitation by Holness to Phillips to discuss the Opposition's decision to vote against the use of States of Public Emergency as part of enhanced measures to fight crime.

Arising from the private meeting it was agreed that a team from the Government and Opposition would meet to agree when both parties, along with other stakeholders, would deliberate further on how to tackle the crime monster affecting the country.

"For us, we see the security matter as central," said the prime minister in a media release. "We need to have political unity on it. This political gamesmanship really needs to stop."

President of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), Howard Mitchell, told The Gleaner that he was pleased that both leaders have agreed to meet to discuss crime.

"I am overwhelmed and pleased that dialogue appears to have started," said Mitchell. "I don't think we can have proper democratic progress if the leaders of our major political parties are unable to speak to each other freely."

The PSOJ, led by Mitchell, had previously proposed a crime summit to find solutions to Jamaica's crime problem. However, the PSOJ president said support for it has been poor on the basis that there was going to be a Vale Royal Summit and a commission on violence.

"We remain ready and willing to sponsor, undertake and participate in a crime summit by whatever name, one that encourages communication and consensus to develop a long term policy to deal with indiscipline, bad behaviour and citizen security," emphasized Mitchell.

He said the summit would be placed on the table again when the proposed meeting with political leaders takes place.

Peace and human rights advocate Horace Levy said there is a need for a combination of the security forces and social intervention to effectively curtail the high crime rate. "It might be helpful to re-frame the dialogue from its exclusive focus on states of emergency to the platform on which both sides already agree," Levy told The Gleaner.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Holness has disclosed Colonel Roderick Williams of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has been assigned to coordinate what he described as the "intensified implementation phase" of Plan Secure Jamaica.

The details of Williams' role were not revealed; however, the 28-year army veteran said he would remain in the JDF as he performs his new responsibilities as coordinator in the Office of the Security Adviser.

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**The latest statistics compiled by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) show that 1,287 persons were killed in Jamaica in 2018, a 21.9 per cent reduction relative to 2017 when 1,647 persons were killed.

**The same statistics, from January 1 - December 31, indicate that the other major crimes like shootings declined by 22.3 per cent, rape dropped by 12.2 per cent and aggravated assault wend down by 12.8 per cent in 2018.

**On the first day of 2019, three men were killed in the volatile community of August Town in eastern St Andrew.