Security was the key issue at the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica anti-crime rally in Emancipation Park in St. Andrew last week. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE PRIVATE Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) has so far collected just the $5 million pledged by GraceKennedy for its crime fighting fund initiative.
This fund was announced last week by Beverley Lopez, president of the PSOJ, as one of the initiatives by the private sector to help stem the island's ongoing crime problem.
NEW INITIATIVE
In a show of support for the new initiative, Douglas Orane, chairman and CEO of GraceKennedy, announced last week Wednesday that the company would donate $5 million, the equivalent of approximately half day's profit of the Group's operations, to the new private sector fund established to reduce crime.
"We are passionate about making sure that our actions have meaningful results, and this donation will have an impact on the ability of our society to have a decisive response to the surge in crime," said Mr. Orane.
FULL SUPPORT
While GraceKennedy did not join the call to close its businesses for part of last week, the company said it was in full support of the PSOJ's campaign to make crime an issue for immediate national response.
One way in which the donation to the new fund could be used is the improvement in forensic analysis by the police in solving crimes.
The Financial Gleaner understands that several businesses have been calling in the pledges to the anti-crime fund, but have not yet handed over any money. The PSOJ has not tabulated the amount of these pledges, an officer in the organisation, stated.
