Holness defends security forces, says criminals posing as innocents

ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica –Amid recent cases of fatal shootings by the security forces, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has warned criminals pretending to be innocent civilians that the security forces have the intelligence to find them and expose their illegal activities, even as he pointed to the Government’s push to reduce murders.

His comments came against the backdrop of Tuesday’s fatal shooting of Jowayne Salmon, otherwise called “Mani” by the police, in Balaclava, which sparked protests and roadblocks in Speculation near Luana. Police said Salmon was a known member of the Speculation gang.

“We are at this point where our murder rate has fallen from highs of 1,360 to now we will probably end the year under 600,” he said, evoking applause on Wednesday at a grounding ceremony in Luana.