Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer
Two Constables attached to the Montego Bay Police Public Safety Unit on duty along William Street where a flare-up of gun violence has been taking place. - Noel Thompson/Freelance Photographer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE RECENT upsurge in criminal activities in Montego Bay has left the business community worried that things could get worse if urgent measures are not taken to curb the problem.
"I am not able to say as yet, how it is affecting them directly. We have to be careful, as we have already surpassed the parish's murder rate for the same period last year, and this can have a negative impact on new investments that are slated to come on stream," newly- elected president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Pauline Reid, told The Sunday Gleaner.
Suggesting possible solutions to stemming the problem, the chamber president said: "To an extent I think that crime is a socioeconomic problem. We need to provide training and employment for our young people. Within the next two weeks the chamber will be having a retreat with stakeholders in the business sector and the police to analyse the situation and see how we can help in fighting crime."
SHOOTINGS
Her comments come in the wake of last Thursday's spate of shootings along William and St. James streets in which seven men were shot two fatally.
Apprehensive that the recent shootings might gain traction in the international media, presi-dent of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) Horace Peterkin said he believes there is an urgent need for social intervention programmes to engage the unemployed in the city.
"There are too many idle hands and too many unemployed youth, many without any parental control. We, the business community have to be more proactive and try to create some kind of opportunities to get them off the road," Peterkin said. He indicated that the Career Development Programme, which had been developed by the hotels association, would have to be revisited.
"This programme sees youngsters from the inner-city communities being drafted into the hotel sector for a one-year career development path. Several of them are still in the programme, but we need to quadruple that figure. Once the youngsters are given an opportunity, most of them will stay away from criminal activities. I am appealing to all those who can assist to do so," Peterkin said.
Sharing similar sentiments, Dr. Horace Chang, JLP MP for North West St. James said: "People have been killing each other in different communities for a long time and I have suggested that a social intervention programme that engages the youth in depressed communities be established. It is now when the crime is coming close to the city's main thoroughfares that people are getting jittery."
Director of communications at the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Karl Angell, said that the country would soon be informed soon as to the strategies that would be engaged to stem the latest crime wave.
Said Mr. Angell: "I know that operations are ongoing. The Area One police will hold a press conference early this week to inform the public what is being done, what operations are taking place and who are in custody."
