THE UWI Trade and Economic Development Unit of the St Augustine Campus, hosted a virtual pre-budget discussion aimed at exploring how crime influences budgetary decisions, the overall economic landscape and the implications for effective policy-making.
The discussion titled, Does the Level of Crime Derail the Good Intentions of the Upcoming Budget?, was held on September 27.
The event featured Jamaican High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, Natalie Campbell-Rodriquez, who shared insights from Jamaica's experience in crime reduction.
With a background as a consultant, columnist, municipal councillor and educator, she previously served as a government senator.
Campbell-Rodriques expressed pride in Jamaica's progress as a "small island developing state" in the Caribbean and stressed the importance of sharing the country's experiences, particularly in the context of public safety and security, overseen by Jamaica's Ministry of National Security, headed by Minister Horace Chang.
Acknowledging Jamaica's challenges with transnational crime due to its geographical location, she said the ministry's central approach to this is a three key policy directions: transforming security agencies, investing in socially challenged communities and ensuring a relevant legislative framework.
This includes the modernisation of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), which has involved significant infrastructure improvements under Project ROC (Rebuild Overall and Construct), rehabilitating 14 police stations and constructing new facilities with a US$95.6 million investment.
Campbell-Rodriques said technological advancements are also crucial for enhancing police productivity and the JCF has upgraded its communication systems, deployed body-worn cameras and implemented computerised systems for efficient data access.
Additionally, the JCF achieved International Standards Organisation certification for quality management, further enhancing operational effectiveness. She said community investment is another focus of the government, with the government identifying the 100 most vulnerable communities through objective measurements.
Initiatives like Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs) have introduced specialised police surveillance and curfews to instill order and promote social engagement, including essential services like obtaining birth certificates and driver’s licences.
Campbell-Rodriques said collaboration among government ministries and community members has been vital, as seen in the Citizen Security Plan, which has created safe spaces, government-run shelters for violence victims, and training programs for at-risk youth and parents.
She describes the approach as "holistic" and it addresses psychosocial needs within communities, providing critical support for violence prevention.
In terms of border security, she said Jamaica has invested in coastal radar systems and maritime patrols to combat drug trafficking. Legislative updates have included laws to address organised crime, gun control and money laundering, ref
