BUFF BAY, Portland — Opposition spokesperson on national security Peter Bunting says the Andrew Holness-led Administration is bankrupt of ideas to address crime, even as he accused the Government of not taking responsibility for failing to control it.
“You remember in the 2015/2016 campaign, Andrew Holness was on every platform from Negril to Morant Point promising that if you only elected him and the JLP you could sleep with your windows and doors open. Comrades, I was in Mandeville yesterday, 6 o’ clock on a Friday evening, busy road jam, people a go bout dem business… All of a sudden pure automatic rifle,” he said while imitating sounds of gunshots.
Speaking at the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Portland Western constituency conference in Buff Bay on Sunday night, Bunting made reference to last Friday’s attack by gunmen on a Beryllium crew in Mandeville. The incident left five people injured, two critically.
“… The video clips going around is like what we see pon show, inna the middle of the busy rush hour. Gunman up and down with dem long rifle like a dem own the place. Now me naa seh we nuh have bad man all the time, but first time is by night dem used to come and run. Now [they are attacking in] broad daylight, [during the] busy traffic hour. Bwoy, me sorry for the people who have to move the cash because [it] is like they take a set pon dem — and dem [criminals] nuh business bout nuh police,” said Bunting.
“Dem nuh fraid a nobody; that is what has been delivered under this JLP Administration — and after seven years Andrew Holness must stop the excuses. He must stop find excuse… people to blame for his failure to control crime in this country,” added Bunting.
Bunting suggested that the prime minister has been given enough time to perform and should now “pack his bags and go… for his failure to provide for the safety and security of the population of the Jamaican people”.
“You came, you said you had ideas, but instead you are bankrupt of ideas and we are tired of the excuses,” said Bunting.
He added that the members of the police force are demoralised in their fight against crime.
“Well over 900 persons [have been] murdered already since January but, hear me now, not even 40 per cent of those have been cleared up, [which] means they have no idea who committed it. What is happening? The police themselves are demotivated and demoralised,” said Bunting.