Caribbean News
New Police Commissioner Ready to Partner with Citizens of Jamaica
#Kingston, Jamaica, March 21, 2024 – Newly installed Commissioner of Police, Dr. Kevin Blake, says he stands ready to partner with stakeholders, chief of which are citizens of Jamaica, in the interest of national security.
The Commissioner was speaking at a Change of Command ceremony, held at the Office of the Police Commissioner in St. Andrew, on March 18.
“If we say we want to slay this crime monster that threatens to ruin the fabric of our society, then we must be prepared to move past the negativism and the useless rhetoric of self-defeat. We must be prepared to have a shared understanding and an accurate definition of the nature and scope of the problem we all want to solve,” the Commissioner argued.
“Make no mistake, the Jamaica Constabulary Force is the agency of the State with the primary responsibility for the reduction of crime and violence in Jamaica. The buck stops with us, yet we welcome sincere partnerships, and we respect that we all have a role to play – government, non-governmental and individuals alike,” he added.
Dr. Blake further noted that partnership with mainstream media is critical in sharing accurate and timely information, adding that he looks forward to engaging with media stakeholders.
“We respect the values of transparency, truth and accountability to the public as essential in the fight to defeat crime and make Jamaica safer. I say to the Jamaican press, we need your partnership to help us live up to these values in an environment where citizens can access information from multiple sources which do not meet the basics in journalistic practice and ethics,” the Commissioner said.
“It is in the interest of the public that mainstream media be a credible and reliable source of content that is not only timely, accurate
and verifiable, but which is also subject to careful and more thoughtful analysis that will equip Jamaicans to make better decisions about their personal safety and that of their families and communities. I look forward to having conversations with the press to give deeper insights into the transformation to better inform your journalism and public advocacy,” he noted.
He said the Jamaica Constabulary Force will continue to enhance its capabilities using cutting-edge tools to stay ahead of criminal activities.
“Crime is ever evolving, and our partnerships and collaborative efforts must be equal to the task, and so we will continue to enhance our intelligence capabilities, leveraging data-driven insights and employing cutting-edge tools to stay ahead of criminal activities,” the Commissioner said.
Dr. Blake emphasised that community engagement will remain paramount to building relationships and safer communities.
“In all our police divisions a key priority is to maintain open lines of communication and cooperation with the people to create safer neighbourhoods, to build trust and encouraging our communities to proudly play their part in the shared responsibility of public safety,” he said.
He added, as well, that transparency and accountability are cornerstones to that approach that will be used to maintain the high standard of professionalism, while ensuring that their actions are just, fair and in the best interest of the communities they serve.
“Our attainment of ISO 9001 certification is a critical achievement. No other police force in the region has yet attained this important quality management benchmark. It is important to note that we are focused on the continuous expansion of the scope of our ISO quality management process, to include not only more police locations but also more police services to increase the professional quality experiences more Jamaicans will feel when they interact with their police force,” he noted.
Dr. Blake said he stands ready to continue serving while leading the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
“I bring to this job integrity of heart and skillful hands. I am a servant of the laws and Constitution of Jamaica. I will not shrink back in doing what is right for the people of Jamaica, and I have the utmost confidence in the men and women of the JCF, who share my heart and determination,” the Commissioner said.
“In these exciting and momentous times for the JCF, I know my men and women will acquit themselves well. I’m also looking forward to continue receiving the brightest and the best to join our numbers. The JCF is a great place to serve and to build a career. I’m here to partner with every stakeholder, chief of which are citizens of Jamaica in the interest of the national security of our country. I am here to serve and I am here to lead,” Dr. Blake added.
Contact: Chris Patterson
By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media
October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.
For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.
October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts
The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader,
led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.
The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.
Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.
The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.
October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit
Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.
The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.
“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”
The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.
Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”
“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”
A Pattern Emerging
While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.
In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.
Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.
Why It Matters
Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and
the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.
Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.
“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”
Restoring Balance
Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.
Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.
For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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