As Jamaica reels under the impact of crime and violence, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced the reintroduction of limited Public States of Emergency (SOEs) to cauterise the runaway murder rate.

Holness, in a national address on Sunday (November 14), said the SOEs would cover the entire parishes of St James, Hanover and Westmoreland.

The measure, which grants expanded powers to Jamaican law enforcement, also takes effect in the Corporate Area—covering the police divisions of St Andrew South, Kingston Western, Kingston Central and Kingston Eastern.

In his remarks, PM Holness contended that the SOEs were considered at this time as each of the seven police divisions see a worrying spike in murders.

“Just past midnight, the Governor-General, on the advice and recommendation of the Government [of Jamaica], declared states of public emergencies in the police divisions of St James, Westmoreland and Hanover—termed the tri-parish SOEs—and in the Corporate Area, the St Andrew South police division, Kingston West, Kingston Central and Kingston East,” he explained.

“All of these divisions have seen increases ranging from 16 per cent to 57 per cent. All have murder rates per 100,000 [people] in excess of the regional average, which is 15. In fact, the murder rate in these divisions ranges from a ‘low’ of 47 to 190 [per 100,000]. We have decided to recommend the declaration of SOEs having regard to the increase in murders compared year-on-year both in the communities we have declared them and nationally,” the prime minister disclosed.

The jump in murders across the seven highlighted police divisions, according to Holness, is of an extensive scale and “threaten public safety”.

The nature of the heinous murders and the frequency at which the violent crimes are reported, he continued, spoke to the ‘devolving level of barbarity’ sweeping the island.

“It is almost a competition for cruelty, and it appears to be properly calculated to drive fear into the citizenry of the country and panic in communities. The Government cannot remain crippled; it cannot see these things happening and not take action,” Holness added.

As of Friday, November 12, some 1,240 murder victims have been recorded in Jamaica—392 of which were across Kingston East, Kingston West, Kingston Central and St Andrew South.

These hyperactive divisions, which continue to pose a challenge to bring under control, represent 32 per cent of the national murder total, according to Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson.