Prime Minister Andrew Holness has apologised for the atrocities meted out by members of the security forces in Coral Gardens 54 years ago.

In 1963, the security forces went into the St. James community to quell a disturbance at a gas station, which eventually resulted in a massacre of scores of Rastafarians.

Members of the Rastafarian communities have for years lobbied for the government to acknowledge the atrocities, and make efforts to remedy the wrongs which befell their members.

In parliament this afternoon (Apl 4) a repentant Mr. Holness expressed the regret of the government for the actions of the security forces and resultant effects.

Prime Minister Holness told parliament, that the government will strive to ensure that unjust incidents such as Coral Gardens are never allowed to happen again.

He added that the Coral Gardens Benevolent Society has pledged to work with the government to assuage the hardships that have been faced by survivors of the incident.

Meantime, the disputed property at Pinnacle in St. Catherine is to be the location of a cultural site for members of the Rastafari faith.

And, Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Peter Phillips, has commended the move to apologise for the injustice perpetrated against the protestors at Coral Gardens, over 50 years ago.

Dr. Phillips says, although the response of the security forces may have been seen as a hold over from the colonial era, many in the parliament of the day were not in agreement with the actions.

He adds that there must be a collective effort to correct much of the history, as it relates to the treatment of Rastafari during the period.