IN JAMAICA: St James Hits 100 Murder Mark... Nonetheless, Cops Says Murder On The Decline.

As it has done every year since 2006, the parish of St James, home of the nation's tourism capital Montego Bay, has hit the 100 murder mark, albeit that the police are reporting a 17 per cent decline in killings.

"We have a 17 per cent reduction in murders this year, which shows that we are going in the right direction," said senior superintendent Andrew Lewis, the parish's crime chief, noting that some parishes were seeing 30 and 40 per cent increases.

"However, 100 murders is nothing to celebrate... one hundred is one hundred too many...we wish we did not have any," added Lewis.

St James registered its 100th murder last Tuesday night when 22-year-old Kafi 'Adie' Simms, a resident of Rose Heights, was shot dead by two gunmen who accosted him along a roadway in the community.

In seeking to explain the policing strategy, which has led to the 17 per cent decline and made the police optimistic going forward, Lewis said the police's murder reduction plan is working well. read more...