National Security Minister Wayne Munroe speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday. Photo: Dante Carrer
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said he is troubled by people who “are into” murder statistics.
He made the comment during a meeting of the Rotary Club of Nassau at St James Native Baptist Church, where officials discussed crime solutions.
The event’s moderator noted that crime declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, with murders dropping significantly during lockdowns. There were 74 murders in 2020.
Mr Munroe said: “Over the last three to four years, the Jamaican government instigated a state of emergency in some parishes in response to murders, and the statistics show that immediately the state of emergency ended homicides spurt in the area that was the subject of the state of emergency. So it may sound troubling, but when we came out of our lockdown, it wasn’t surprising you have a spurt of murders.
“I’m not one for counting murders because one is too much, 70 too, but at the end of the day, the people who are into statistics trouble me because every murder isn’t really a statistic. It’s a person, and it doesn’t matter whether or not you say this person is somebody who’s in the game and so makes themselves a target.”
The murder count for the year increased to 26 after 15-year-old Chester Forbes, Jr, was killed on Monday.
The 21 murders in January 2024 were the most the country has recorded in January in at least a decade.
According to The Tribune’s records, eight people were killed in 2023, eight in 2022, ten in 2021, six in 2020, two in 2019, nine in 2018, 14 in 2017, eight in 2016, ten in 2015, and 11 in 2014.
The record for murders in a year is 145 in 2015.
Comments
TalRussell 3 months ago
One should only have to look at what happened to the telling of --- 'Ghost stories' --- Which continues on an upward spike --- Under the watch of the most recent appointment as The Colony's Minister, Responsible For The Popoulaces Safety and Security. --- There's no hiding from a Ghost, now, is there, --- Yes?
AnObserver 3 months ago
I think the term is "gaslighting"?
hrysippus 3 months ago
Statistics are truth in the raw, before the spin masters are able to reinvent them , why should anyone who is not afraid of the truth, be afraid of statistics?
pt_90 3 months ago
"I’m not one for counting murders because one is too much" - Perhaps thats why people are concerned with the stats? If 1 is too much, 26 over two months is too too much.
TalRussell 3 months ago
Is the comrade security minister suggesting it's the kind of problem --- Best to contract out such challenges to a "first world" government. --- Yes?
John 3 months ago
Sounds like the person who said ‘ I can’t believe people actually read the obituaries.’ And the statistics about the number of police officers involved in crime recently is troubling,
ThisIsOurs 3 months ago
"people who are into (murder) statistics trouble me"
Lol. This as PM Davis starts talking about how his govt will focus on data to produce better outcomes. You can't make this up ... well Fred Mitchell also revealed a contradictory PLP "secret"(?) tenet that the govt has no interest in freedom of information, so I guess we shouldnt be surprised.
bahamianson 3 months ago
Politics is a nasty game. Well, you are in the wrong party with the wrong people. I am sure you know about the same people in your present party were the same people when the billboards with the murder count a few years ago. So, to deflect, you say it worries you. Dang politicians. You do nothing to better the country only better the government purse, hence placing more burden on the people.
sheeprunner12 3 months ago
These PLP politicians are so disingenuous that it is beyond comprehension.
Davis, Munroe & Mitchell have only revealed the TRUTH that they have NOTHING left to positively contribute to building this nation for the future.
They should resign immediately
ExposedU2C 3 months ago
Talk about a certifiable worthless moron.
carltonr61 3 months ago
Statistics and thrends are used worldwide to detect patterns and threats to sensitive economies. Statistics show patterns of concern. We may see a threat coming if know consistency in day, time, place, conditional options. Statistics are the first tool in crime prevention oe suicide prevention.
killemwitdakno 2 months, 4 weeks ago
PLP conducted raids in their last term. A state of emergency right now will stop all tourists. https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/jamaica-...">https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/jamaica-...
Just lock down the ganglands. At least clearly threaten to do so.
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