Like an unwanted relative stowed away in a room at the rear of the house to spare neighbours from any unwelcome outbursts, Jamaica's crime nuisance has been kept on the back burner by other issues brought on by the global economic recession.

Job layoffs, the rising cost of living, and Jamaica's impending return to the International Monetary Fund have been some of the issues gripping the island's attention.

However, Jamaica's poorest relative, crime and violence, has not gone away, and has again reared its ugly head with a series of islandwide killings and shootings, which has bumped up the nation's murder figures to more than 1,000.

In the community of Granville in the western parish of St James, three persons were killed between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

St James has recorded more than 174 murders since the start of the year.

Renford Reddie, 36, of Pitfour in the community, was shot about 4:25 a.m.

Prior to Reddie's death, two men were fatally shot and a woman shot and injured by gunmen in separate incidents in Granville on Tuesday night.

Unabashed gunslinging

The dead men have been identified as Tomblim Whitely, 50-year-old vendor of Pitfour, and Prince Kirklandy, 20, while injured is Kirklandy's 24-year-old common-law wife, both of Retirement district all of Granville.

In St Andrew, where there have been over 337 deaths since the start of the year, there were two incidents of unabashed gunslinging by gunmen with two persons being killed.

In the first incident, proximity to a major hospital still did not save the life of Eli Watson.

The 47-year-old was among a group of men standing outside the gate of the University Hospital of the West Indies about 8 p.m. when a car with a group of armed men aboard drove up and opened fire. The men were rushed inside where Watson died, while the others, a 21-year-old man and a 19-year-old, were listed as in stable condition.

In the second incident, 47-year-old Wendy Campbell of Brunswick Avenue in Spanish Town, St Catherine, was shot several times by a lone gunman. The murder, which took place close to the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre after 9 p.m., had individuals running for cover.

Cops analysing

In response to the situation, head of communications at the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Karl Angell, told The Gleaner the police were doing some analysis but he would not give specifics.

According to JCF statistics released for the month of September, the Joint Police-Military Task Force carried out a total of 353 operational initiatives across the island. The initiatives included raids, surges, vehicle checkpoints, cordons and searches.

A total of 305 persons were detained and questioned. Of this number, 54 were arrested. Eight wanted persons were captured.

The joint task force also recovered eight firearms and 122 rounds of ammunition during September.

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com