KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Recent reports of the reduction in murders in Jamaica (about 300 less than last year), while encouraging, provide no reason to think the country has turned the corner on crime. 

The reduction represents about a 22 per cent decline in murders, which means that our murder rate has declined from about 58 per 100,000 in 2017 to about 45 per 100,000 so far in 2018. Unfortunately, at this lower rate, Jamaica continues to be ranked in the top 10 most murderous countries in the world. 

Professor Rosalea Hamilton, chief executive officer of the newly established LASCO Chin Foundation (LCF), is convinced that: “To break the cycle of criminality we need individualised, long-term, comprehensive interventions that target and hand-hold the youth in troubled communities where they are most at risk of exposure to crime and the criminal justice system.”

“Our vision is to change the way Jamaica views and treats its most vulnerable young people, so that in the future all of Jamaica’s young people will be empowered and have access to high quality capacity-building solutions, as well as skilled and caring adults who are willing and able to support their efforts to succeed in life generally and business in particular,” she added. 

For the LCF, long-term social, as well as economic interventions, are essential. Within the first month of operations, which began in June, the Foundation rolled out a tw0-phased entrepreneurship programme enabling at-risk youths to earn income immediately while providing them a framework to create and sustain viable businesses over a five to 10 year period. 

After five months in the programme, Roland Griffiths, one of the beneficiaries of this programme from Majestic Gardens, is singing high praises of the programme. 

He maintains that it has positively impacted his life: “Now, I have no time to waste. My father even a look up to mi and mi now have more respect from people in de community. It has been a positive distraction away from certain tings a gwan round mi.”

The Foundation has already garnered tremendous support since its official launch in September 2018. The Jamaica Diaspora Education Task Force has thrown its weight behind the Foundation, and has collaborated in organising the Inaugural Benefit Gala in Orlando and Miramar on Friday, November 16and Sunday, November 18, 2018, respectively. 

Venued at Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando and Miramar Cultural Centre the keynote speaker will be by the Most Hon. P.J. Patterson, former Prime Minister of Jamaica, and Senator the Hon Ruel Reid, Minister of Education, Youth and Information will be a special guest.