‘Virus of violence’ - Holness says criminals worse than COVID

Prime Minister Andrew Holness yesterday said some persons appear as if they have been "infected with the virus of violence" which makes them more dangerous than COVID-19.

Holness, explaining his Government's decision to keep in place the ban on motorcades for funerals as well as capping the number of mourners at burials at 10, hinted that it also works as a crime control measure.

"I am not proposing that these COVID measures can solve crimes, but sometimes I think as Jamaicans we have to be wise. We have to wise up because you not only have a killer virus but you have people infected with the virus of violence who are even more dangerous than the virus," Holness said.

Attack on a Coaster bus

Yesterday he announced that the ban on mass gatherings at burials would remain in place. He also said that last Thursday's brazen attack by four gunmen on a Coaster bus filled with mourners returning from the Meadowrest Memorial Gardens in St Catherine has given him more reason to think about keeping the restriction in place. Two women were killed in that attack.

"My heart goes out to their families," Holness said in Parliament yesterday, while noting that motorcades for funerals were banned some time ago as part of measures to fight COVID-19.

Burials can be no longer than 30 minutes, and only 10 mourners can be present. Funeral gatherings were restricted to no more than 20 people in March and the number was later reduced to no more than 10 persons as the Government tightened the measures to control the pandemic.

Holness said that while the COVID-19 figures are heading in the right direction, it is too soon to lift the restrictions that have been put in place. He said that the ministry of health has requested that the measures remain for the next six weeks.

"Though we are having good news, we are not going to make the error of having any general opening up because that could be dangerous, indeed it could spell disaster," the prime minister said.