Phillips

A Mobile police station, the installation of close circuit televisions (CCTVs) and combining the operations of the police and the army are the immediate steps to be taken by the Ministry of National Security to combat the high incidence of crime in St. James.

In addition, a special operating team is to be deployed to St. James and Westmoreland to target known gang members said National Security Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips.

Dr. Phillips was speaking to concerned Montego Bay business operators at a closed-door meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday.

The business community has expressed grave concern about the escalating murder rate, which has tarnished the image of the tourism capital.

The meeting, which was initiated by the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) had in attendance, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Gilbert Scott; Commissioner of Police, Lucius Thomas, and ACP Clifford Blake, officer in charge of the Area One Division.

The minister said that, by the end of February, the CCTVs are to be installed in the city and a permanent residence is to be found to relocate Operation Kingfish to western Jamaica.

Equally, the Professional Stan-dards Branch and Anti-Corruption Branch will be undertaking a special anti-corruption initiative geared specifically at removing corrupt cops from active duty and ultimately imprisonment.

"Instead of moving the cancer (transferring corrupt cops from one parish to the next), we are going to put these cases together and take those people out of the force. For too long we have played around with these issues," said the minister.

He said it is too cumbersome to remove the corrupt cops from the system.

Modernisation

The security minister also spoke of the need to forge ahead with the modernisation and re-equipping of the police force, border security and reducing the availability of guns from Haiti.

Twelve persons have already been murdered in St. James since the start of the year. The parish closed 2006 with an unprecedented 178 murders.

"We are living in fear, crime is affecting future investments for the region that we feel is poised to shape the economic future of this country," said Pauline Reid, president of the MBCCI.

"Ideally, as the chamber repre-senting the business community we contend that the police need to be given the proper resources to fight crime - working patrol cars, protective gear and the upgrading of their facilities," added Ms. Reid.

She said there was a need for social intervention to provide education and opportunities for the young people in the troubled communities.