Increase in crime rate comes as no surprise to the UPP, as Force has been deprived of resources by the Gov’t

Damani Tabor, the United Progressive Party’s public relations
officer, says that neither he nor the Party is surprised that the
national crime rate increased by almost 10 percent in 2023.
 
During the post-Cabinet press briefing on Thursday, January 11,
Police Commissioner Atlee Rodney said there were over 3,400
reported crimes last year, compared to just over 3,100 in 2022,
which amounts to an 8 percent increase.
 
Larcenies, building break-ins, robberies, malicious damage, and
youth violence were of greatest concern to the Force, Rodney said.
 
Tabor believes the Police could have done more if they had been
provided with the necessary resources to get their work done.
However, he says that none of the Government’s promises to shore
up the Force has been fulfilled. For example, Tabor notes, the
comprehensive plan to tackle youth violence and crime is yet to be
implemented.
 
Even the plans for establishing a cadet corps for youth offenders
appears to have been just talk, Tabor says.

Accordingly, he wonders if the Administration has any properly
developed plans that could be submitted to international agencies
for funding in order to achieve its objectives.
 
Tabor says the Browne Administration has failed the Police Force
and the people; consequently, he calls on Minister of National
Security Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin to resign.

Damani Tabor, public relations officer for the United Progressive
Party.