By Lynford Simpson, Staff Reporter
Buchanan
GOVERNMENT MEMBERS of Parliament yesterday used the debate on amendments to the Constabulary Force Act to condemn the killing of 10 policemen since the start of the year.
The last five were murdered in the last month, three in four days and two less than 24 hours apart.
Michael Peart, State Minister for Finance, piloted the Bill which allows members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to retire after completing 30 years of service. The official retirement age remains 60.
While the Bill was passed with unanimous support from both sides of the House, the decision by Donald Buchanan, Water and Housing Minister, to quote from the recently released report of the West Kingston Commission of Enquiry when he condemned the attacks on the police, sparked heated cross-talk between the Government members and Derrick Smith, Opposition Spokesman on National Security.
"I don't believe we can ignore the recent levels of assault upon our police force and indeed our security forces," Mr. Buchanan said, during his contribution to the debate.
The ensuing crosstalk led House Speaker O.T. Williams to intervene on several occasions urging calm.
But the Water and Housing Minister did not relent. He further described July 7 last year as "most disgraceful and abominable" and said the assault was not just on the security forces, but the people of the country.
He was supported by Information Minister, Colin Campbell, who urged the nation to unite in the fight against crime. He described Monday night's killing of Detective Corporal Joshua Graham at the intersection of Olivier Road and Constant Spring Road as "particularly vicious and savage".
Mr. Peart in closing the debate, offered condolences to the families of the slain policemen.
Mr. Smith described the recent attacks on the police as unprecedented, and urged them to get to the bottom of what's behind the killings. He said there was currently no information to indicate whether the cases were isolated or whether there was a mastermind behind the attacks.
