The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is maintaining that the National Security portfolio needs to be adequately funded if the spiralling crime wave is to be stemmed.

Derrick Smith, Opposition spokesman on National Security and JLP deputy leader Dr. Horace Chang have again urged the Government to make curbing crime its top priority.

Mr. Smith said yesterday, during a press conference at the JLP's Belmont Road, New Kingston headquarters that, based on an initial estimate, the ministry needs an additional $5.5 billion to $6 billion for the Jamaica Constabulary Force to effectively carry out its duties in apprehending wrongdoers.

PRIORITY ATTENTION

"The portfolio of National Security demands priority attention, that whatever it takes will be provided in terms of resources," said Mr. Smith. "It is time the Government decide this is the issue of the country and deal with it."

Dr. Chang, who is also the Member of Parliament for North West St. James, said the police are not properly equipped to effectively manage the level of violence and crime. Dr. Chang's constituency is regarded as one of the main trouble areas in St. James with about 70 per cent of the 178 murders recorded in the parish last year.

"The first step is that we have to have effective policing in Montego Bay whatever it takes; whatever is required it must be done now," said Dr. Chang.

Mr. Smith's message, laced with data and statistics of murders committed since 1989 when the governing People's National Party came to office, stressed that the situation is becoming untenable.

"Since 1989, the advent of the People's National Party administration, up to the end of 2006 we have had 15,891 murders," he said.

FOUR MURDERS A DAY

"The last six years have been particularly bad - we have had 7,627 murders. Since this year, up to yesterday, there were 129 murders ... we are holding an average of four murders per day."

This murder rate, he said, equates to 46 out of every 100,000 residents.

Regarding new crime strategies, Mr. Smith said the administration has announced crime plans at least six times over the past seven years.

"None seems to have been able to curb this level of crime," he added. "(The strategies) have not been properly implemented, sustained and managed to deal with crime."

He commended Operation Kingfish, which was launched in 2004, for having achieved some success with some international assistance.

"But the matter is, we need money, lots of money," said Mr. Smith.