Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
Rodney Davis (left), president and CEO of Cable and Wireless Jamaica, presents a cheque for $1.2 million to Peter John Thwaites, chairman of the National Crime Prevention Fund. The presentation took place at a press conference at the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica's Hope Road office in St. Andrew, yesterday. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
CABLE AND Wireless Jamaica (C&WJ) yesterday demonstrated its support for the National Crime Prevention Fund by donating $1.2 million to the Crime Stop Programme, which came into beng 16 years ago.
"Every year, there is a need to raise funds to pay for the rewards," said Chairman of the National crime Prevention Fund, Peter John Thwaites, shortly before receiving the sponsorship cheque from Rodney Davis, president and chief executive officer of C&WJ.
The new initiative is in partnership with C&W's strategy to donate a percentage of the sale of bmobile products and services to bolster Crime Stop's reward fund. Crime Stop intends to expand the league of unsung heroes through the bmobile partnership by providing two key opportunities for public contribution: participating in the bmobile Campaign for Reward Fund, and by being a silent hero and calling Crime Stop.
According to Mr. Thwaites, Crime Stop has paid out over $9.4 million since its inception.
Within the period, Crime Stop has received 16,000 anonymous calls, most of them related to illegal firearms, wanted men and homicides.
EXCELLENT SUCCESS RATE
"Our success rate is still excellent. The rate is one in every seven calls," said Mr. Thwaites.
He said further that information received by Crime Stop is passed on immediately to the police. Over the 16-year period calls to Crime Stop have led to the seizure of illegal drugs worth over $340 million and property valued over $106 million.
"We recognise that crime is perhaps the issue of greatest concern to citizens of every age from every community. And, in the face of our current challenges, crime prevention cannot be seen as the duty of the security forces alone, but the duty of all law-abiding citizens," the Cable and Wireless CEO told journalists yesterday.
Making a dent on crime and violence.
Over 16 years Crime Stop calls have led to the seizure of:
| Illegal firearms | | 433 |
| Semi-automatic |
| pistols | | 182 |
| Revolvers | | 95 |
| Home-made firearms | | 64 |
| Shotguns | | | 31 |
| High powered rifles | | 64 |
| Air pistols | | | | 2 |
| Ammunition seized | 48,328 |
| Stolen motor vehicles |
| recovered | | 154 |
| Motorcycles recovered | 13 |
| Ganja seized | 10,676.55 kilograms |
| Hash oil | 5,151 litres |
| Crack cocaine | 1,386 pieces. |
