PNP, JLP agree on joint action to end violence
Observer Report
Friday, October 05, 2001
REPRESENTATIVES of the island's two main political parties yesterday agreed on holding joint meetings in politically volatile communities and to jointly seek a meeting with the police high command to end a cycle of deadly violence plaguing several areas in the capital.
Teams from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party (PNP) met for three-and-a-half hours at Le Meridien Jamaica Pegasus Hotel and mandated Paul Burke, the PNP region three chairman, and Desmond McKenzie, JLP councillor for the Tivoli Gardens Division, to co-ordinate the holding of the joint meeting in the Mountain View area where politically-motivated gun violence has claimed more than 12 lives in the past month.
In addition, both parties will jointly seek a meeting with the police high command to address some of the issues relating to the role of the police in the affected areas. The parties also agreed on rules to operate on the ground, particularly in communities that were heavily swayed in a political direction.