Police investigating political violence
Written by JamaicaElections.com
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Commissioner and JLP meet
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) says its awaiting the decision of the Police Commissioner following a meeting this afternoon with representatives of the party to discuss concerns about political violence.
Opposition Spokesman on crime Derrick Smith and Chairman of the JLP’s taskforce on crime, Colonel Trevor MacMillan met with the Commissioner.
The party is also expressing concern about what it says are attacks on its supporters over the last 24 hours.
The JLP claims the incidents are a deliberate strategy to use violence and terror to intimidate its workers and supporters.
The JLP says several of its supporters who were on their way to a Bruce Golding-led motorcade yesterday were blockaded and severely beaten in Bunkers Hill, Clarendon.
In addition it says its candidate for East St. Andrew, Dr. St. Aubyn Bartlett and his supporters came under heavy gunfire during a visit to Tavern in that constituency.
Three of Dr. Bartlett’s supporters were reportedly shot and injured during the incident.
In another incident in Canterbury, North West St. James where Dr. Horace Chang is the JLP candidate, three of his workers were reportedly shot in two separate drive-by incidents.
Three persons including a policeman were also shot and killed at a bar owned by a JLP councilor in West Central St. Catherine.
In East Central St. Catherine a driver for the JLP candidate Leslie Campbell and a bartender were also reportedly shot and killed.
MIT probing shooting
The Major Investigation Task Force (MIT) has launched a probe into last night’s shooting near Papine St. Andrew when two female JLP campaign workers were shot and injured.
The women and the JLP candidate for Eastern St. Andrew, Dr. St. Aubyn Bartlett were campaigning with the Councillor for the Mona Division Garfield Reid.
The police say when the JLP officials reached a section of Tavern Avenue gunmen opened fire at their vehicles injuring the two women.
MIT head Assistant Police Commissioner Les Green says the matter has been recorded as a case of political violence.
Meanwhile JLP General Secretary, Karl Samuda is claiming last night’s incident was an attempt to murder Mr. Bartlett.
PNP on possible ban
The Electoral Commission has recommended a ban on political meetings and motorcades in the corporate area and St. Catherine.
The recommendation was made during a meeting with police Commissioner Lucius Thomas this morning.
But the PNP wants the Police High Command to thoroughly investigate reports of political violence before deciding on such a ban with General Secretary Donald Buchanan saying that such a ban would disadvantage the PNP.
Meanwhile the PNP says it has cancelled its meeting set for this evening in Linstead, St. Catherine while it awaits the decision of the Police Commissioner.
Mr. Buchanan says the Commissioner’s decision will determine whether the party’s final rally scheduled for Saturday can be held in Cross Roads St. Andrew.
More on St. Catherine killings
Police are yet to determine the motive for last night’s shootings in St. Catherine, which claimed the lives of four people in two incidents.
Special Coporal Gareth Smith, a policeman attached to the Harman Barracks, is among those killed.
Investigators say the policeman and a group of people were at a bar in Fraser’s Content shortly after 10 p.m. when gunmen approached, identified the policeman and opened fire.
The policeman and another man, Gladstone Findlay were killed.
And according to the police another man and a woman from Fraser’s Content were shot and injured.
In another incident in the community of Knowles, Brandon Vernon and Karen Valdin were shot dead by gunmen.