The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) is urging the government and opposition to align on addressing crime through the Crime Monitoring and Oversight Committee (CMOC).

The organisation says it’s gravely concerned by the latest statistics that 112 persons were reportedly murdered between the start of the year and last Sunday.

The figure represents a sixteen percent increase when compared to the same period last year.

The PSOJ says it has been resolute in its position that crime reduction, requires support from everyone working together.

The business people say they believe there needs to be a united front from the political leaders, and are urging them to utilize CMOC to work through these challenging moments.

CMOC was established as an oversight body for the national consensus on crime to which the leadership of both the government and opposition were signatories.

Upon being established in 2020, CMOC mandate was aimed at providing oversight of sustainable crime reduction strategies.

The PSOJ is calling on the government and the opposition to utilise the consensus as a vehicle to align on contentious positions and to demonstrate the required political maturity owed to Jamaicans.

The group says Jamaica needs a bi-partisan and unified long-term approach to defeat the gangs that are fuelling the decades long crime epidemic.