JAMAICANS SPEAKING UP

More than 50 illegal firearms were taken off the nation's streets last year due to tips given to Crime Stop under the reward for guns campaign. Crime Stop, in a report issued earlier this week, said it received 319 tips about illegal guns. It said the tips led to the recovery of 55 illegal guns last year.

Police data indicates that 720 illegal firearms were recovered in 2018.

In 2017, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced increased incentive for information on weapons. The money being offered under the ZOSO reward programme more than doubles, triples and almost quadruples the sums offered in the past for the different categories of weapons. Persons are being offered $150,000 for information on rifles; $100,000 for information on pistols and sub-machine guns; and $75,000 for information on revolvers.

Meanwhile, Crime Stop said it received more than 1,100 tips on various criminal activities last year. This is compared to the 912 tips it received in 2017.

The report show that tips on crimes such as human trafficking, corruption, and gang activities, gunmen, wanted persons, drugs, murder and child abuse were also given to Crime Stop. The top three crimes that Jamaicans are calling Crime Stop to report are those relating to illegal guns, gunmen, and wanted persons.

GROWING TRUST

Howard Mitchell, president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), whose organisation sponsors Crime Stop, says the increase in the number of tips is a result of more Jamaicans trusting the agency.

"An increase in rewards, with the inflation that we've had over the years doesn't necessarily mean anything. There has always been a reward, there is no particular threshold at which a person says well, if I get $250,000 it's less of a risk than if I got $100,000. I think it is that people see results when it happens and people feel comfortable that their confidential details are not revealed," he said.

The PSOJ president now wants Jamaicans to start reporting more on corruption.

"What we need to do is also encourage people when they see corruption, to report it, That is where we need to see improvement," he said.

Meanwhile, Karl Johnson, the general secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union, commended Jamaicans for speaking up.

"We're happy to hear of this development, we hope it is not just a spike, but that it is telegraphing a coming of age of a people who probably are now viewing our leaders and the different structures in society; the security forces, our courts, in a more positive light, they are feeling safer. And that they are realising that the solutions to our problems, especially as it relates to crime and violence, rests with all of us,"he said.