The Government of Jamaica is committed to equipping the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) with the resources needed to disrupt, deter, and detect organised crime, says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, the Hon Dr Horace Chang.

He was speaking at the agency’s two-day Strategic Management Retreat, being held at the ROK Hotel in Kingston on Thursday, November 2.

Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn says that the National Correctional Services Policy will prioritize the overall well-being of staff at the Department of Correctional Services (DCS).

Minister Cuthbert-Flynn made the disclosure while delivering an address to over one hundred (100) awardees at the DCS Awards and Recognition Ceremony, held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on Thursday, October 26.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, the Hon. Dr Horace Chang, says the government is committed to working in partnerships to uphold the principle of democracy and the right to religious freedom.

He mentioned that while the government seeks to pursue a policy of partnership with the private sector, partnering with the churches, and with various sectors of society to ensure there is inclusiveness and effective development, is also critical.

While there is increased collaboration between the police and the private sector, all organisations involved in the criminal justice system must begin to work more effectively and begin to communicate to have a common philosophy to deal with criminal enterprises, states Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, the Hon. Dr. Horace Chang.

nd He made the statement while delivering the keynote address at the 22 staging of the LASCO Chin Foundation/Jamaica Constabulary Force ‘Saluting our Heroes’ Awards Ceremony, held at the AC Marriott Hotel on Friday, October 20.

The Government of Jamaica is noting with concern what appears to be a trend among groups of Haitians arriving on the island via boat, where each group reported their destination other than Jamaica.

Since July, three groups of Haitian nationals each numbering about thirty (30) or more people have landed on Jamaica’s north-east shores, claiming their intended destination was to be elsewhere. In addition, the government is also wary of individuals suspected of piloting the vessels who have had a history of being removed from Jamaica for illegal entry on previous occasions.

Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, says early warning systems are to be put in place to address the abuse of ‘Molly’ and other illicit drug usage in the country.

The Minister was speaking at the Opening Session of the three-day National Workshop on Early Warning Systems on Drugs at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Kingston earlier today.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, the Hon. Dr Horace Chang is to lead the charge for the construction of a Child and Adolescent Guidance and Wellness Centre in St James.

The Security Minister last Friday (October 13), visited the site on Humber Avenue, Montego Bay, where this first-of-its-kind Centre is to be constructed.

The intent is for the development of an integrated service delivery space in St James, as part of the larger plan which involves Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

The Government of Jamaica confirms reports that another group of approximately thirty-five (35) Haitian nationals arrived in Jamaica yesterday and attempted to enter the country illegally. Information from preliminary investigations indicates that the captain of the vessel is suspected to be the same individual who illegally brought another group of Haitian nationals who were repatriated in September 2023.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, the Hon. Dr Horace Chang, says the Inter-Ministerial School Strategy (IMSS), the government’s social investment transformation effort, is a mechanism with which to disrupt youth crime involvement and effect meaningful and sustainable change.

The Minister made the remarks during the keynote address at the Private Launch Event of the newest Courts store, located at Parkway Square (Portmore Pines), St. Catherine on Wednesday, October 11.

Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, is advocating for better ways to identify perpetrators of criminal offences who suffer from mental illnesses.

Speaking at the Paint for Mental Health Workshop in recognition of World Mental Health Day, Minister Cuthbert Flynn emphasized that individuals who struggle with undiagnosed mental issues require special institutions where assistance, treatment and guidance concerning their mental health status will be taken care of.