WESTERN BUREAU:

Opposition Leader Bruce Golding wants the St. James Police Division to be better equipped to effectively fight crime, a monster that has gone beyond the police's control.

Mr. Golding was speaking to journalists following a tour on Friday of the Flower Hill community where five men were shot dead by gunmen. One of the men, 21-year-old Devroy Harris', head was severed and dumped in the vicinity of the Church Street Police Station and the Burchell Baptist Church.

Growing problem

Members of the Jamaica Labour Party hierarchy met with the Area One Police High Command to discuss the growing problem facing St. James and to offer suggestions and assistance.

Golding said the first order of business was to ensure that the police have the capability to fight crime in terms of strength, resources and equipment, pointing out that there was a significant deficiency facing the division.

"We are very concerned about what is happening in St. James, as it relates to the murders taking place. We are seeing a 300 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. We cannot allow this to continue or be treated as a routine problem," he said.

More resources

He is recommending that since the parish lacks the resources, arrangements must be made to reallocate resources from elsewhere. He said he was aware that some efforts have been made, but those were not enough.

Golding said one of the problems preventing more police personnel from being deployed to St. James was a lack of accommodation. Pointing to the more than 700 hotel rooms that have been closed since the financial meltdown in the 1990s, Mr. Golding said these should be used to accommodate additional police personnel.

"Government will have to enter into lease arrangements with the hotel owners. We will have to move significant numbers of police and military persons into St. James to give the level of coverage needed," he said.

Vehicles, he added, were woefully inadequate and priority must be given to remedy the situation.

- N.T.