If the present homicide rate continues, Jamaica would have about 1,400 murders by 2023, according to Opposition Spokesman on National Security Peter Bunting.
The former Minister of National Security made the prediction on Wednesday during a press conference at the People’s National Party (PNP) headquarters on Old Hope Road in St Andrew.
“This is 250 murders above the average level in the previous PNP administration (2012-2016),” Bunting stated.
He charged that actions taken by the Andrew Holness-led administration, such as the routine use of unconstitutional states of emergency (SOEs), the refusal to table reports from public bodies in Parliament, and the decision to raise the retirement age for the Director of Public Prosecutions, are intended to distract Jamaicans from the true crime figures.
“A lot of what we see here now is really attempts to divert citizens’ attention away from this administration’s failed performance in dealing with key issues, important issues to the people of Jamaica, such as their safety and security,” Bunting said.
He explained that “nationally, we’re going at a rate of about 50 murders per 100,000 population, which puts us at the top of the global rankings…where we continue to be among the highest in the hemisphere and the world.”
