A special Cabinet meeting is to be held today to consider decisive measures put forward by the National Security Council to deal with the rising crime affecting Jamaica.
A release from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) last night said Prime Minister Andrew Holness met with the security council all day Tuesday.
It said the meeting did an assessment of the current trends including crimes against women and children and the emerging practice of circulating videos showing crimes being committed.
And the council has reportedly made certain recommendations it believes can be immediately implemented.
The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre understands that none of the measures suggested will require new legislation.
Last month there was intense debate on how human rights should be treated as the country grapples with its crime problem.
Sunday Gleaner columnist Ian Boyne said some communities should be locked down while some known crime perpetrators should be jailed.
Boyne also said the security forces should be able search peoples’ properties without warrants because these are not normal times.
However, the Jamaican Bar Association and others have rejected that position emphasising that stepping on the constitutional rights of Jamaicans is not the way to go.
Later in January the Prime Minister gave a commitment that the government will respect human rights as it tries to address the country’s persistent crime problem.
Holness said the government has learnt the lessons from past efforts to tackle crime and is now determined to get a handle on crime, using strategy while respecting human rights. (Jamaica Gleaner)
