News from the OPM

PM Holness Announces Call Out of National Reserves to Assist with Crime Fighting


PM Holness Announces Call Out of National Reserves to Assist with Crime Fighting

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced that the National Reserves will be called out and deployed to assist with security measures across the country.

The Prime Minister’s announcement comes as the country prepares for the festive season.

“On the advice of the Chief of Defence Staff, after long discussions at the National Security Council, we have decided that, for the month of December we are going to make a call out of the National Reserves to compliment and support the efforts of the JCF. This is again, a part of the strategy of using force without violence. A superior deployment of material and human resources using superior technology, superior logistics and superior operations to control and limit the space of criminals to operate and to protect the innocent,” said Prime Minister Holness.

Prime Minister Holness stated that this move is just one strategy of the Government to tackle crime and violence.

In the meantime, the Prime Minister underscored that the Government will continue to advocate for the provision of exceptional powers for the security forces who must act without violence in the execution of their duties.

“We know that we must find a way to address the crime problem in Jamaica. Jamaicans know that, I have been doing everything within my powers to keep them safe, but without certain tools our powers will be constrained, without certain tools the measures that are available are not going to yield the immediate results that we need. We always should have available to us, the option of using, extraordinary powers,” said Prime Minister Holness.

The Prime Minister further said, the major task of the Government is to keep each and every citizen safe while working within the legal framework that governs security measures. However, he pointed out that he will continue to press for those measures that are proven effective in eliminating criminal activities.

“I want Jamaica to know that I am protecting your freedom and democracy and I will work without yield to see this country free of criminals and thugs,” Prime Minister Holness said.

Prime Minister Holness was speaking yesterday (Friday, November 27) in St. James at the official handover and renaming of Cornwall Automotive Training Institute, a social intervention project implemented by the Government through the Heart NSTA Trust.