Holness declares Mount Salem, St James first Zone of Special Operation

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared Mount Salem, St James and its environs as the first Zone of Special Operation.

Holness made the announcement a short while ago during a press briefing held at the Office of the Prime Minister.  

He said the areas will remain a zone of special operations for 60 days.

The Zones of Special Operations Bill was passed in July to respond to the country's spiralling murder rate with no fewer than 1010 persons killed across the island since the start of the year. 

"The use of the zone is a significant measure, but it is only one in a suite of our responses to crime," Holness said.

"We will establish and restore public order."