Howard Campbell, Gleaner WriterMEMBERS OF St. Ann's commercial community, concerned that a series of recent crimes may hurt business, are scheduled to meet June 29 with Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields. Humphrey Taylor, president of the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce, told The Gleaner that the meeting will be held at Sandals Dunn's River hotel, and will involve members of his organisation as well as the St. Ann chapter of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA).
"We have had some incidents which we think is not good for our citizens.
KINGFISH DOING A GOOD JOB
The consensus is that he (DCP Shields) and Operation Kingfish have been doing a good job and we would appreciate any help we can get."
The most publicised of the robberies took place on May 12 when the Ocho Rios branch of the Dehring, Bunting and Golding bank was robbed of $15 million. That same day, a bearer who works with a sub-contractor at the Bahia Principe hotel in Runaway Bay, was robbed of $40,000.
In April, an 11-year-old boy was kidnapped in Ocho Rios. His abductor, a St. Mary taxi operator, demanded $1.5 million for his release. Those implicated in the robberies, and kidnapping, have been arrested by the police.
Vanna Taylor, chairperson of the JHTA's St. Ann chapter, told The Gleaner that she has received reports of petty theft at guest houses and hotels.
She believes the crimes may be the work of 'outsiders'.
Ms. Taylor noted that criminal activity seems to have increased since late 2005 when Spanish developers began work on the multimillion-dollar Bahia Principe Hotel.
"We welcome it (hotel) but our infrastructure cannot manage it. The police don't have the resources to deal with these persons," she said, adding that "if we are going to have development the infrastructure must be in place." Deputy Superintendent of Police, Michael McKnight, who is in charge of police administration in St. Ann, said he was not aware of any jump in crime in the parish.
"I just don't know of that...if anything crime is on a downward trend here," said DSP McKnight.
