Jamaica’s sharp decline in murders boosting investor confidence, says Seiveright

WESTERN BUREAU:

Delano Seiveright, the state minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, says Jamaica has made remarkable gains in national security in recent years, with a sharp decline in violent crime boosting confidence and helping reshape the island’s reputation.

Speaking at the JMMB Group Thought Leadership Breakfast in Montego Bay, St James, recently, Seiveright highlighted data showing consistent declines in murders and other indicators of violent crime in highlighting the progress in public safety and investor confidence.

According to the latest Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) figures, Jamaica recorded 673 murders in 2025, the lowest total in over three decades.

“We have had consistent declines in murders over the last several years. In 2023 we were down eight per cent vis-à-vis 2022; in 2024 murders were down 19 per cent vis-à-vis 2023, which already saw reductions. Of course, last year, 2025, we registered 42 per cent reduction in murders vis-à-vis 2024,” said Seiveright.

Seiveright further noted that the downward trajectory has continued into the current year.

“January, this month, so far, we are pacing just about 50 per cent less murders than we did for the same month last year,” he said.

According to Seiveright, the strong reductions signal a shift in Jamaica’s security landscape even though the country still has “a long way to go” to reach levels considered normal by global standards.

“What it is signalling is that certainly, Jamaica is becoming a safer place. To be able to cut murders in half is a phenomenal achievement, but we still have a long way to go to get it to levels that will be considered normal,” he said.

A CHALLENGE FOR JAMAICA’S IMAGE

Seiveright also acknowledged that public perception has historically been a challenge for Jamaica’s image abroad, particularly among investors and potential visitors, hence the consistent drop in violent crime must now be communicated more broadly.

“What has happened over the years is that we’ve gotten so accustomed to 1,400, 1,500 murders per year, we don’t realise that that is absolutely horrendous ... and the impression that it has given over the years, certainly over the decades, is that Jamaica is an unsafe place,” he said.

Seiveright pointed to improvements in the US travel advisory, which has moved from Level 3 to Level 2, as a sign that external perceptions of security are slowly adjusting, thanks to sustained work by Government and its private-sector partners.

“It took human work and a lot of work from not just the Government, but also private-sector players, in really getting the factual narrative out there that we are on top of the crime situation,” he said.

Seiveright went on to underscore the fact that Jamaica’s crime-reduction gains are contributing to a more attractive environment for investment and tourism, which are key pillars in the country’s economic strategy.

“As we continue to bring crime under control in Jamaica, we can attract quality investment and eventually shed that horrible and negative image of being a crime-infested country,” he said.

Seiveright added that the Government has invested heavily in national security infrastructure over recent years, which he said has strengthened the capacity of law-enforcement agencies to tackle violent crime effectively.

“Planned security Jamaica is working. We have pumped over $90 billion into our national security architecture over the last several years,” he said.

While the dramatic reduction in murders offers encouraging news, Seiveright stressed that continued vigilance and sustained partnerships across sectors are needed to build on current gains, preserve public safety, and support Jamaica’s broader economic recovery and growth ambitions.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com