Minister of National Security
Professional Profile-The Honourable Peter Bunting, Mp, Minister Of National Security
Peter Bunting was appointed Minister of National Security on January 6, 2012. Since his assignment, the Minister has embarked on a strategic programme of policy reform at the Ministry, as a response to Jamaica’s existing and potential national security challenges.
His vision places people at the epicentre of the national security architecture, realizing that the well being of the citizenry and an effective national security machinery are inextricably linked. As a result, he has promoted the concept of ‘citizen security’ rather than ‘national security’ and is championing a transformation of the Jamaica Constabulary Force from a ‘police force’ to a ‘police service’.
The Minister believes that Jamaica’s security goals will not be achieved by incrementalism and has therefore established a set of aggressive priorities for the Ministry. Chief among them is the achievement of his ‘audacious goal’, which seeks to reduce crime to first world levels by 2017. In an attempt to achieve this, he has combined policy reform with tactical methods to formulate a systematic and comprehensive approach to combat Jamaica’s most insidious problems of crime and violence.
National Security is familiar territory for Minister Bunting, as prior to assuming duties as Minister, he served in the capacity of Opposition Spokesman on National Security, a position he held from 2008. During his tenure as Opposition Spokesman, he actively participated in the National Security Council, where he was vocal on the many issues affecting the country’s national security. He also played an instrumental role in the Bi-partisan Working Group established to develop a framework for the Police Management Authority (PMA). The PMA is intended to be an important measure geared at improving the institutional arrangements necessary in modernizing the police force. In his four (4) years as Opposition Spokesman, Peter Bunting developed a good rapport with many stakeholders in the national security arena; including persons from academia, civil society, and central government. These relationships have proved beneficial in his current capacity as Minister.
Minister Bunting is an investment banker by profession. He co-founded Jamaica’s first private investment bank Dehring, Bunting and Golding, which gained a reputation for innovation and progressiveness.
He is also the current General Secretary of the People’s National Party, serving from 2008 to present, and is a Commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica.
A graduate of McGill University in Montreal, Canada and the University of Florida in Gainesville, Minister Bunting holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical) and a MBA in Finance.