Prime Minister P.J. Patterson yesterday told his British counterpart Tony Blair that Kingfish, one of Jamaica's initiatives to fight crime, is reaping big successes.
Mr. Patterson met with Prime Minister Blair at his 10 Downing Street offices in London.
The discussion focused on a wide number of issues, which included a request for the United Kingdom to render additional support in the fight against crime and drug trafficking. He noted that the two countries were working together in fighting narco-trafficking and the importation of illegal firearms. This, Mr. Patterson said, had worked significantly well as evidenced by the fact that there had been a reduction in the transshipment of cocaine through Jamaica.
Prime Minister Patterson indicated that a number of legislative changes would be implemented to intensify local crime-fighting capabilities, including amendments to the Evidence Act, to permit the presentation of evidence gathered through electronic surveillance to the courts.
He said additional technical assistance
was necessary in the fight against corruption to include the elimination of extortion, improving forensic capabilities and training of police
officers.
Prime Minister Blair concurred with Mr. Patterson that it was in the U.K.'s interest to support Jamaica in these areas given the direct link between criminal activities in Jamaica and the impact on Jamaican communities in the U.K. Further talks are to take place between Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips and Garrett Thomas of the U.K. Government to
discuss cooperation for funding, training and technical assistance.
A Jamaica House release yesterday said Prime Minister Patterson had written to Prime Minister Blair, apparently ahead of yesterday's meeting, asking him to encourage a solution to the latest European Commission thinking on the European Union regime for sugar which ACP countries have learnt about through the media, leaked documents and consultants' studies.
The new thinking would see the European Commission introducing a regulation on June 22 that will propose a once and for all 39 per cent price cut over the two years to 2008/9. This would be a departure from the two-phase approach that was originally proposed.
Prime Minister Patterson noted that the impact of the 39 per cent cut on a proposed 'action plan' that would have addressed the issues of transitional support for ACP sugar producers was not discussed with the Government of Jamaica or the sugar industry.
