Edmond Campbell, Senior News Coordinator
SMITH
OPPOSITION SPOKESMAN on National Security, Derrick Smith, pointing to the incidence of kidnapping as a growing trend in Jamaica, has called for the mandate of the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), to be expanded to include investigations into human trafficking and kidnapping.
Making reference to Trinidad and Tobago and how kidnapping has escalated in the twin-island Republic, Mr. Smith said he did not want to cause panic locally, but urged the authorities to ensure that it does not grow into a major problem in Jamaica.
He said until the Government is able to set up a proper unit to deal with this scourge, it should give CISCOSA instructions to tackle this serious crime.
Turning to the issue of deportees, the Opposition spokesman on National Security criticised the Government for its tardiness in completing a study on the impact of criminal deportees on local crime.
According to Mr. Smith, the Government announced last year that the Ministry of National Security and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) would conduct a major study on the issue. He said the study was to have been started in October 2005 and completed in February 2006.
MAJOR PROBLEMS IN JAMAICA
"It is now nine months later and again, although the minister and his junior minister have already spoken in this debate, we have not heard one single sentence about this report or the issue of deportees," Mr. Smith said.
Earlier this year, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of crime, Mark Shields, said that despite a reduction in the number of persons deported last year, deportees still had significant influence on the level of serious crimes committed in Jamaica.
