Breaking New's Andrew Holness Break Silent On The Police Murder Of Buju In Granville St James.......

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:04]When I accepted the invitation to speak at this event, I did not know that there would be an incident in St. James that would shine a particular light on the JCF.

[00:00:27]And since then, I have received letters, emails, messages from average citizens, ordinary Jamaicans asking me to comment on the matter.

[00:00:41]It is indeed a matter of great public concern.

[00:00:50]I have been deliberately silent on the matter up until this point because as Prime Minister, I I cannot and should not make statements that are not properly thought out.

[00:01:12]And in the immediacy of an event, uh sometimes we can make statements that more complicates than advance understanding.

[00:01:29]And so, >> [music] [music] >> be Andrew Holness finally speak out about the EPA police shooting and the EPA police killing that are taking place in Jamaica right now.

[00:02:10]After the shooting death of Boujee over there in Granville St. James over there in Montego Bay people, Andrew Holness finally come out after the call of the people including supporters of from the Jamaican Labour Party. So Andrew Holness finally come out and make a statement and uh clearly hear even though people are saying that that is not enough. Them not satisfied with what he came out and said. So people, I am going to play the video and you guys can leave your honest opinion down below in the comment section. And remember, like, comment, share, and also subscribe to the channel if you haven't subscribed as yet. Check out the video people.

[00:03:00]This turned out to be an opportune occasion on which I could make a few comments on the matter.

[00:03:09]Clearly, I cannot address the facts and details of the matter. And I don't think the public expects me to do that.

[00:03:20]But I think the public needs some reassurance.

[00:03:27]Of who we are, what we believe, and what it is that we want to achieve.

[00:03:33]At the core of this is humanity and dignity.

[00:03:41]That's what it comes down to.

[00:03:43]Humanity, dignity, and respect.

[00:03:49]Less than a week ago Latoria Bulgin from St. James lost her life in a police-involved shooting.

[00:04:01]I extend my sincere condolences to her family, her friends, her community, and all who are grieving.

[00:04:11]I know that the incident has caused pain, anger, and deep concern across Jamaica, and not just in Jamaica.

[00:04:21]Uh I believe that we should all recognize that we live in a global village.

[00:04:29]And anything that is happening in Jamaica, yes, it has parallels elsewhere. We see the situation in Minnesota a few months ago.

[00:04:40]But what is happening here is exported in milliseconds in other jurisdiction.

[00:04:50]And so, I've been receiving calls from Jamaicans overseas concerned, and from friends who are not Jamaican, but who would have seen the incident circulated. And they are also concerned.

[00:05:09]So, first, I'm happy that the matter has been swiftly addressed by the police high command, that the officer involved has been interdicted, and there is a process of investigation that is ongoing.

[00:05:31]One of the things that Jamaica can be proud of is the establishment of a mechanism to independently investigate officers of the state when in the course of their duty a life is taken.

[00:05:58]That was a fundamental and profound change in how Jamaica policed itself.

[00:06:10]And as officers coming up in the police force I am hopeful that it is the general understanding that the entire objective of the state is to preserve life.

[00:06:35]I want that to be the default position.

[00:06:41]We do not pay taxes to fund the police force for the police force to be the instrument that takes life.

[00:06:55]Or for any arm of the state for that matter.

[00:07:04]The objective is for the police force to preserve and protect life.

[00:07:18]When you go out on your duties and your operations the default position must be we are going to protect and serve and preserve.

[00:07:35]There is some There are some who go out with the default position that they intend to take life.

[00:07:46]But you as leaders you must quickly identify those and correct correct that false notion that they have.

[00:08:07]Indeed, that is your core duty as leaders.

[00:08:12]And therefore having INDECOM established sent a clear signal that the state of Jamaica and the agents of the state of Jamaica will be held to account for the unlawful taking of life.

[00:08:36]And any police involved shooting or killing will be independently investigated to give assurance to the public that the state is not a perveyor of violence.

[00:08:57]And indeed not a perveyor of the ultimate violence, which is that of taking a life.

[00:09:06]So, as I stand here today and you are in my hearing and the discussion is about transformation that is what it comes down to.

[00:09:18]What kind of organization is the JCF?

[00:09:23]And what is the core principle of the members of the JCF?

[00:09:32]And what is the abiding principle of its leadership.

[00:09:39]So, today I challenge you as you rise through the ranks to ensure that that core principle is always maintained, always advanced, always preserved.

[00:09:54]Always respected.

[00:09:56]The JCF is about preserving protecting and serving life.

[00:10:10]I've seen it so often it is shared on social media. It makes the country look bad.

[00:10:20]Damaging to our image.

[00:10:25]It is now time that the JCF develops and deploys along with other stakeholders a national public education campaign to I don't want to use the word teach, but that's what it comes down to.

[00:10:45]To educate our citizens about how they should interact with the police and to educate the police as to how they should interact with the citizens.

[00:10:57]And this will have to be over a 2-year or 3-year period of constant reminders until it becomes muscle memory.

[00:11:08]Because I've seen as I'm sure all of you would have seen videos of policemen trying to interdict a taxi man for example. Forgive me, I'm not picking on any one group.

[00:11:21]But that is one of the highest levels of complaints that you you get in terms of police and civilian interaction. Or a vendor in a marketplace.

[00:11:34]Or a traffic stop.

[00:11:38]And what should be a simple matter escalates into a confrontation.

[00:11:44]I have had so many letters written to me and I've spoken on this before.

[00:11:50]Uh one in particular of a young lady who had an interaction with the police.

[00:11:57]Where she didn't see that the police was stopping her.

[00:12:01]The police pursued her. She panicked.

[00:12:04]She eventually stopped. And this is a young lady driving at night. She's alone. And the officers came about.

[00:12:11]And you can just imagine the colorful fabrics that were described to her.

[00:12:23]I have had letters written to me about two young men driving home.

[00:12:29]One night they were stopped by a patrol.

[00:12:31]They wound down their windows to see M-16 rifles in their forehead.

[00:12:37]And they're not criminals. They're not being threatened that they could be shot right now and nothing would come out of it.

[00:12:47]And these are things that our citizens experience on a daily basis.

[00:12:56]I'm sure all of you here who are about to be promoted these are not things that you tolerate.

[00:13:07]But you will be leading the men and women who sometimes do these things.

[00:13:15]You must identify them in your stations.

[00:13:20]Send them on additional training.

[00:13:22]Interdict them or seek their separation.

[00:13:28]Because where we are now with the development of the country, that kind of behavior cannot continue.