Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter
Dr. Peter Phillips, Minister of National Security and Justice, representing the Prime Minister, joined with private sector leaders at the LoJ Sculpture Park yesterday. The group laid flowers in honour of those who have been murdered since the start of the year. To the Minister's right is the Rev. Herro Blair, Political Ombudsman. - CONTRIBUTED
PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson has scheduled a high- profile meeting between officials from the private sector, Government and Opposition to strategise a united way forward in the fight against crime.
The meeting is scheduled for Monday at 4:00 p.m. at Jamaica House.
"We will be discussing all aspects of the (private sector) proposal to try and attempt to arrive at a set of strategies that will ensure that we play our part in relieving the nation of the scourge of crime and violence," Karl Samuda, general secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) told The Gleaner yesterday.
RESPONSIBILITY
However, Mr. Samuda stressed that the onus to protect the citizenry of any country rests squarely on the shoulders of the elected government.
"We must not be unmindful of the fact that the Government is responsible for establishing all the requisite mechanisms to combat crime," he stated fervently.
"We as the Opposition will play a supportive role because of our determination to eliminate the scourge of crime. It is important that we recognise this distinction."
Beverly Lopez, president of the Private Sector Organisa-tion of Jamaica (PSOJ), confirmed the date and time of the meeting. However, she was reluctant to say much more.
Mrs. Lopez, who has been the mouthpiece for the private sector team, delivered the dagger-sharp demands to the politicians at Wednesday's mass peace protest at Emancipation Park, New Kingston.
