PM: Gov’t Will Not Allow Abuse of Citizens by Security Forces

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has rejected the abuse of Jamaicans by law enforcement. Additionally he says citizens must also change how they respond to authority. Prime Minister Holness was speaking at a handover ceremony of a social housing unit in August Town, St. Andrew on Friday. In response to recent videos of altercations between members of the Jamaica defense force and citizens in the Denham Town community, the prime minister says he has been in dialogue with the Chief of Defence Staff and the minister of national security who are closely monitoring the conduct of the officers.

He concedes that the community which has been under a Zone Of Special Operations, ZOSO since 2017, has experienced a myriad of challenges over the years. PM Holness highlights that the ZOSO was implemented to preserve life and enhance the security of the citizens. The citizens he says also have a duty and a responsibility, saying in some instances there is a high level of unreasonable resistance towards law enforcement, resulting in unnecessary confrontation. He says he will be visiting the zone of special operations in the area soon to meet with the citizens.