PLP calls for FNM to change position on Urban Renewal
tribune242
THE Progressive Liberal Party has again called for the Free National Movement government to alter its position on the current structure of the Urban Renewal Programme (URP) after Jamaica began reporting that its community policing programme is yielding results in that country.
The PLP said it is reported that the Jamaican Constabulary revitalised their community policing programme in the area known as "Tivoli Gardens", which is commonly regarded as one of the most violent areas in Jamaica.
A party statement said: "It is reported that community policing was nonexistent or very challenging in that area. Following the joint police/military operation of June 24, 2010 in Tivoli Gardens, the police are now able to go in there, step by step and win back the community through engaging the people in a new partnership. This is precisely how Urban Renewal was structured - the police would go into an area and conduct an assessment. Challenges relating to crime, disorder and social ills would be identified and addressed and then community policing officers would be there to sustain the efforts," the party said.
The PLP's statement claims this is how the party had structured the URP and it "worked".
"Jamaica along with all the other Caribbean countries that form the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP) had the benefit of firsthand experience when they came to the Bahamas to witness for themselves the URP in operation. Further, Paul Farquharson, former Commissioner of Police made several presentations to these countries on URP and they have all embarked on introducing what we had established in the Bahamas.
"The URP won the ACCP Community Policing Award in 2003 for being the best (and most progressive) community policing programme in the Caribbean. Yet, the FNM Government cancelled the Programme. After much pressure, The FNM introduced a 'watered down' version of the Programme when other countries are now boasting of success," the statement read.
The PLP said they can confirm this is the case since the language contained in the report is attributed to research and documents from the URP that were shared with the Bahamas' Caribbean counterparts.
"The PLP invites the FNM Government to put aside its political differences to avoid further crime, social disorder and neighbourhood decay. The country's murder rate alone has already exceeded 65 cases and there are still three months left in 2010. The Bahamas has never seen such unprecedented killings and violence. This has all occurred since the 'altering' of the URP under the FNM Government.
"As a matter of fact, the Bahamas has recorded two record-breaking homicide rates (in 2007 and in 2009) and is on track for another record under the FNM administration. The significance is that most of these murders occurred in the areas where potent URPs once existed.
"The PLP has concluded that part of the solution lies within the URP as it was structured under the PLP. Return the Police to URP without further delay. This is time for action and the PLP stands ready to partner with the FNM to make our country safe again for our residents and visitors alike," the party said.
September 13, 2010
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