SOE Extended in Clarendon and St. Catherine

  • Members of the Jamaica Defence Force patrolling through May Pen, Clarendon, as a part of the enhanced security measures being extended to that parish.
    Photo by Lance Corporal Cordell Williams.
  • Members of the Security Forces conducting a random vehicle check at 7th Road Vehicle Check Points, as a part of the enhanced security measures being extended to that parish.
    Photo by Lance Corporal Cordell Williams.
  • Members of the military perform random stop and search operations in Spanish Town, St Catherine, as a part of the enhanced security measures being extended to that parish.
    Photo by Lance Corporal Donald Palmer.

JIS Story Published: Thursday 5 September 2019

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has announced a State of Public Emergency (SOE) in the parishes of Clarendon and St. Catherine.

Speaking at a press conference at Jamaica House on Thursday (September 5), the Prime Minister said the SOE will remain in force, unless revoked, for a period of 14 days or for longer periods not exceeding three months.

He explained that the SOE has been declared as one of the security forces’ strategies to curtail criminal activities in these areas, particularly murders, which he said are mainly gang-related.

“The Government is not using the SOE as a substitute for regular policing. What the SOE does is to provide a respite in the number of crimes, particularly murders. It helps to expand the number of law-enforcement personnel that we have on the ground, it helps to restrict the free movement of the criminal enterprise and then that gives [the security forces] an increased ability to do their work,” he said.

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