Omar Anderson, Gleaner Writer
Commissioner of Police Lucius Thomas giving moral support to police officers at the Hunts Bay Police Station yesterday following the death of Constable Desmond Douglas who was killed by gunmen. - PHOTOS BY NORMAN GRINDLEY/ DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
DECLARING THAT 60 per cent of persons in his West Central St. Andrew constituency are unemployed, Member of Parliament Andrew Holness is calling for a greater influx of opportunities there.
His renewed call was made following yesterday's killing of police Corporal Desmond Douglas of the St. Andrew South Police Division. He was shot dead by gunmen yesterday morning in Olympic Gardens.
Mr. Holness condemned the murder of the policeman and said those responsible must be brought to justice.
Noting that he himself funds a small project for some marginalised youths, Mr. Holness said this was not enough.
AN ALTERNATIVE TO CRIME
"I try to target youths I know are at risk and try to give them an alternative to crime," he told The Gleaner. "But we need massive projects to employ a lot of people."
He added that his constituency was very poor in social infrastructure, but conceded this was not an excuse for crime.
Mr. Holness said he currently helps several persons to operate vending stalls in the constituency. This venture, he said, has worked particularly well in Tower Hill, significantly reducing tensions in that community.
"But we need more than small tokens," he said, in renewing a recent call for the reintroduction of Lift Up Jamaica, a Government social programme.
