Chuck urges national unity to reduce murders to below 100 per year
Published:Saturday | June 21, 2025 | 12:06 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Justice Minister Delroy Chuck has renewed his call for Jamaicans to unite in a concerted effort to break the cycle of violence, noting that if citizens committed themselves to peace, it could lead to the annual murder rates dropping to below 100.
Chuck, who was speaking at a justices of the peace (JPs) sensitisation session in St James on Wednesday, drew attention to the past three years, where the government has taken what he deemed proactive steps to address national security alongside justice reforms.
“Over the past three years, the government determined that we want Jamaica to be a peaceful place, focusing not only on justice, but on national security,” said Chuck, who noted that huge sums of money were directed to national security to boost the complement of the police from 11,000 to 14,000.
According to Chuck, murders and crime fell by nine per cent in 2023 and were down by a 19 per cent drop in 2024, prompting the United States to downgrade its travel advisory for Jamaica from Level 3 to Level 2.
“From what I am hearing, you see what is happening to St James now, more tourists are coming in, hotels are filling up because the travel advisory at Level 3 was causing travel agents to tell people that they can’t go to Jamaica. Now they are telling them, ‘You can go to Jamaica’,” said Chuck.
In keeping his message, Chuck issued a call to community leaders, especially JPs, to use their local knowledge to dissuade youths from joining gangs.
“Justices of the peace, you have a part to play with knowledge. I am not asking you to do police work, but to the extent that you have information in your neighbourhood, you can tell persons who want to join gangs or beat up one another to cut it out and try to live together peacefully,” he said.
DECLINE IN RATES
As of June 14, the Jamaica Constabulary Force reported 303 murders in Jamaica since the start of the year compared with 543 during the similar period in 2024. The numbers reflect the lowest number of homicides in a single quarter in over 25 years.
The Area One formation of the JCF, which covers the premier resorts of Montego Bay and Negril, has seen a remarkable reduction in murders. Westmoreland has recorded 21 murders, down from 52 in 2024; Hanover has seven, down from 28; St James down from 73 to 24; and Trelawny down from 12 to six.
In March, National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang, buoyed by encouraging figures, expressed optimism that the country could end 2025 with fewer than 800 murders nationally.
For his part, Chuck wants to see Jamaica registering fewer than 100 murders, starting next year.
“That is not enough. We need to get murders down to a level where it is not normal,” said Chuck in response to Chang’s projection. “Far too many people believe that under 1,000 is a great thing, I don’t think so. It is good, but we need to get murders down. And I hope in my lifetime to see murders below 100 per year. We can get there.
“We’re not at war. Nobody is fighting us. We are fighting ourselves. We are killing off one another,” added Chuck.