RAMSEY NELSON
MINISTER OF National Security Dr. Peter Phillips says the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) should ensure that crime statistics are readily available to the public.
Dr. Phillips was responding to queries from Delroy Chuck, Opposition spokesman on justice, about the CCN's recent decision to scrap its weekly publication of crime statistics.
"I think that there should be readily accessible statistical data," Dr. Phillips said when the issue was raised during yesterday's first meeting of Parliament's special select committee on national security.
He stressed, however, that the manner in which that data is distributed should be discussed.
The National Security Minister said he also believed the CCN should publish the crime statistics on its website.
Yesterday, The Gleaner visited the CCN's website, www.ccnjm.com, but the homepage appeared to be under construction with no links to other pages.
However, during an Editors' Forum at The Gleaner's North Street offices yesterday, Superintendent Ionie Ramsay Nelson, head of the CCN, said the police communications arm had no intention of reversing its decision to discontinue the weekly publication of crime statistics.
Superintendent Ramsay-Nelson added, however, that Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas has decided to meet with the press every six to eight weeks to update the public.
Daily incident updates will also be continued.
