Finance Minister and contender for presidency of the People’s National Party, Dr. Omar Davies, is calling on political leaders to come out strongly against crime and violence, saying anything less would be doing the country a great disservice.
Addressing PNP delegates from Region 6 (St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland) at a stop on his ‘Campaign for Prosperity’ tour yesterday, Dr. Davies said politicians cannot talk out of “two sides of their mouths” and continue to worry about “who they will or will not offend.” He said hardened criminals must be dealt with by a professional police force, according to the Jamaica Gleaner.
“When you have children falling asleep in school because they can’t sleep at nights because of gunshots then you have taken away a part of their lives,” Dr. Davies said. “The country has to stop being wishy-washy … speaking on the one hand and then on the other.”
He added: “I am on one side. I am against criminals. I don’t want any criminal … any political criminals supporting me. Anybody who has seen the negative results of criminality and violence don’t have no choice … is one side you must be on. Any team I lead must be very clear about that.”
And in a not-so-subtle swipe at Opposition Leader Bruce Golding Dr. Davies said, “And some political leaders can get up on one hand and say they are firmly on the side of law and order and on the other hand they are also talking about Bangarang … you cannot talk out of two sides of your mouth.”
The Finance Minister stressed that despite being in a race for the PNP presidency, “all the candidates are colleagues and so should not be seen as attacking any one.” He was also careful to point out that his speaking out against the level of crime and violence in the country should not be viewed as an indictment of National Security Minister Dr Peter Phillips.
“Unless we can break the back of this monster, virtually everything we are doing would be in vain,’ he said. “I am not talking about frightening away investors and tourists, I am talking about ordinary people in inner-city areas or anywhere else who must be able to go about their lives doing ordinary things … I just want ordinary people to be able to live their lives in peace.”
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