LEWIN

In response to this week's Amnesty International Report, which has criticised the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) for its failure to fulfil various obligations under international law, Police Commissioner Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin is promising that initiatives and solutions are being developed to improve the operations of the force.

Speaking at Wednesday's PSOJ Job Creation Awards at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston, Lewin would neither refute nor verify the claims made in the Amnesty report.

"By way of response, it is not something I will nitpick about," the police commissioner said. "As far as I am concerned, the real issue is what are we going to do about it and I think this is where we have to focus."

Lack of human security

The Amnesty report, entitled 'Let Them kill Each other: Public Security in Jamaica's Inner Cities', claims the Jamaican state, failing to effectively provide human security for its population, especially for those living in the inner city, who are most vulnerable to crime and violence.

In response, Prime Minister Bruce Golding had asked the human rights group to be sympathetic to what he said were the current difficulties faced by the nation in providing social services and economic opportunities.

Lewin on Wednesday said: "You've heard from the prime minister and you've heard from me. In one year's time, we should look at where we have reached; will Amnesty come back and say the same things, or will they be able to applaud us for improvements we have made?"

The police commissioner said the process of changing the image of the JCF was a work in progress and one to which he was committed.

"The whole process of changing the face of police is my job; we're willing to partner with the private sector, with the other government entities, so that next year Amnesty will be able to say well done, but we have to be able to say this about ourselves, 'We have done all that we can'."