The PSOJ (Private Sector Organization of Jamaica), which brings together private-sector associations and companies, and the JEF (Jamaica Employee Federation) spoke out yesterday in favour of drastic measures to curb the violence raging in Jamaica, reports the Jamaica Gleaner. The PSOJ is calling for a change in legislation to fight crime more effectively, claiming that Jamaica "is using normal legislation to deal with abnormal circumstances".
Among the measures demanded are minimum sentences of 15 years for any firearms-related charge, as well as tougher penalties for repeat offenders (from three convictions onwards), who would face a minimum of 25 years in prison under these amendments. The situation is getting worse month after month. Despite a particularly deadly 2007 (news of 17/12/2007), the figures keep rising. In May, 199 people were shot dead, bringing the number of victims since the start of the year to 800.
The Interior Minister, Colonel Trevor Mac-Millan, did not wish to comment off the cuff on these proposals. Nancy Anderson, a lawyer with the Independent Jamaican Council for Human Rights, on the other hand, opposed the introduction of minimum sentences, which in her view must remain solely a matter for the courts. She also pointed out that the Fingerprint Act already allows the police to take fingerprints and DNA samples from suspects without a judge's consent.