The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has described the declaration of the state of public emergency in St. James, as an indication of the failure of the JLP administration to take advice on crime fighting initiatives.

Spokesman on National Security, Fitz Jackson says the Zone of Special Operations (ZOSO) which was imposed on Mt. Salem, St. James, has not been effective in tackling crime.

Mr. Jackson says the PNP welcomes the state of public emergency, as stronger action was needed in the parish, which he says, had reached a near state of anarchy that could not be allowed to persist.

Some one thousand six hundred and seventeen Jamaicans were murdered in 2017 and already more than 63 persons have been killed since the start of this year.

He says a robust, accessible and viable mechanism to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens during the operations must be in place.

The spokesman adds that the opposition PNP awaits the tabling of the regulations governing the operations of the state of emergency, in parliament.