State of emergency declared in St Catherine North Police Division
In a move to restore order and ensure public safety, the Jamaican Government has declared a state of public emergency (SOE) in the St Catherine North Police Division, effective immediately. This decision comes after violent protests erupted in the area following the killing of Othneil ‘Thickman’ Lobban, the leader of the notorious “One Order Gang”. The protests, which turned violent last week, have left Spanish Town and surrounding communities volatile. The security forces have reported incidents of both failed and successful arson and attacks on law enforcement vehicles and personnel. In response to the escalating situation, the government has taken action to declare the SOE.
The Commissioner of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff are urging the public to cooperate fully as they intensify operations to protect law-abiding residents.
The SOE boundaries cover a significant area, including: the eastern boundary from Windsor Castle and Carron Hall, extending south-easterly to Rock Hall; southern boundary from Cromarty, Bushy Park, and Old Harbour Road, extending north-westerly to the P.J. Patterson Highway; western boundary from the common boundary between St Catherine and Clarendon, extending northerly to the parish boundaries of Clarendon, St Catherine, and St Ann; and northern boundary from the shared boundary of St Catherine, St Ann, and St Mary, extending easterly back to the starting point.
Some residents of Spanish Town and those who travel through the highly trafficked city are grateful for police intervention as they express that the unrest was a major disruption to their lives and also had them concerned over their safety. “Every day is something else in Spanish Town; I don’t even like to walk through or linger there too long. If I’m there, it’s because I am taking a taxi to get home out of the main town or I’m travelling outside the parish to go to work or school,” said Abigail Butler (name changed) who is a student currently at the University of the West Indies (UWI). She added, “So I’m thankful for the police being out there trying to maintain the peace because when Spain [Spanish Town] goes bad, you can’t get to school, you can’t get to work, and you’re stuck home watching your business spoil.”
This sentiment was shared by another UWI student who used to travel from Linstead through Spanish Town to get to school daily. She explained that late classes resulted in her travelling through the city at late hours and had always felt unsafe while doing so. “Well, I don’t live there [Linstead] anymore, so I’m not having to travel through Spain [Spanish Town] that often, but I do remember walking fast and not lingering because we all know how unpredictable the place is with the violence. When I had late classes, it was probably the worst thing for me because that meant I had to stand and wait for a bus because by eight or 9’oclock the buses start getting scanty,” she said. “When I heard of what was going on, all I could think was that I’m glad I don’t have to travel through that anymore. I’m surprised they didn’t implement a SOE sooner.”
The Government is reassuring citizens that it will continue implementing policies and programmes to build a peaceful Jamaica, providing a safe and secure environment for all. This declaration follows last week’s imposition of a similar SOE in St Andrew South, St Andrew Central, Kingston Western, and St. Catherine South police divisions.
