File photo of National Security Minister Dr Horace Change addressing journalists at a press conference.
Government is projecting to spend up to US$1.2 billion (J$176 billion) to fight crime under Plan Secure Jamaica over seven years between 2016 and 2023, according to National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang.
It s a big price tag for crimefighting in the island which now has the dubious distinction of being ranked the murder capital of the Latin America and Caribbean region.
Speaking during a ministerial statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Chang said the projected medium term spend to strengthen the country’s national security architecture between 2016/17 and 2022/23 is US$346.7 million. However, he cautioned that because of the major fallout in the economy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, these figures may be revisited.
File photo of National Security Minister Dr Horace Change addressing journalists at a press conference.
Government is projecting to spend up to US$1.2 billion (J$176 billion) to fight crime under Plan Secure Jamaica over seven years between 2016 and 2023, according to National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang.
It s a big price tag for crimefighting in the island which now has the dubious distinction of being ranked the murder capital of the Latin America and Caribbean region.
Speaking during a ministerial statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Chang said the projected medium term spend to strengthen the country’s national security architecture between 2016/17 and 2022/23 is US$346.7 million. However, he cautioned that because of the major fallout in the economy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, these figures may be revisited.
Dr Horace Chang
National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang has invited his parliamentary colleagues to take the politics out of crime fighting as the authorities grapple with a spike in serious crimes which has left 131 people murdered in the month of January.
“I invite my colleague parliamentarians from the Opposition to join the government in implementing this comprehensive, coordinated, and integrative approach to fighting crime, which is Plan Secure Jamaica. No longer can we afford to politicise crime fighting. The people of Jamaica deserve better,” Chang stated as he addressed the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
He noted that to implement the plan over seven years would cost some US$1.2 billion (J$176 billion)