PARLIAMENT'S SPECIAL Select Committee on National Security met for the first time yesterday.
During the committee meeting, chairman and National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips outlined a plan of action for the group's continuing examination of security in Jamaica.
The committee, established last month, plans to invite members of the security forces to give an assessment of the current crime situation in the country.
Among those to be invited are Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas, Jamaica Defence Force Chief of Staff Hardley Lewin, and representatives from the Correctional Services.
Dr. Phillips suggested that a general invitation for submissions from the public be sent out through media houses at a later date.
He also said the final report on the National Security Strategy would soon be ready and available to the committee.
With further committee meetings expected to be held in camera, the National Security Minister said those submissions would allow the committee to determine when members of the public could be invited to participate.
CALL TO EXAMINE REPORTS
Opposition committee member and spokesman on justice, Delroy Chuck, suggested that the committee examine three reports already published on national security issues.
They are the report of the National Committee on Crime and Violence, the report of the Wolfe Committee and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Report.
Mr. Chuck said the committee should get the views of the three main producers of the Crime and Violence Report on how efficiently its recommendations have been put into effect.
"Let them respond as to how they feel on the implementation of that," Mr. Chuck said.
A recommendation was also accepted from Derrick Smith, Opposition spokesman on national security, that the committee examine the report on the attempted escape of prisoners at the Tower Street Correctional Facility.
The committee is intended to be a permanent standing committee of Parliament and Dr. Phillips said the appropriate amendments to Parlia-ment's Standing Orders will be brought to the House of Representatives shortly.
The committee has tentatively set its next meeting for Thursday, June 30.
- R.H.
