Phillips

Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips, has underscored the need for a holistic approach to fighting crime, notingthat successful crime fighting needs legal, social and economic interventions.

"Policing by itself, no matter how efficient, will not create the socially cohesive and economically productive society that all decent Jamaicans want," he said.

"Increased opportunities for training and employment must go hand in hand with new techniques of law enforcement.

"We must get the economy not only to grow, but to provide more jobs, and we must heal the wounds in our communities that separate citizen from citizen," he stated.

Dr. Phillips, who was speaking at the official opening and dedication of the Flankers Peace and Justice Centre in Montego Bay on Monday, said that the ministry, with assistance from local and international partners, had launched a number of initiatives aimed at providing communities with a better resource base and improved access to opportunities.