Jamaica has declared a widespread state of emergency to fight violent crime in a public address by the country’s Prime MInister Andrew Holness. The State of Emergency will be enforced in nine of Jamaica’s 14 parishes after it was declared on Wednesday.
The state of emergency allows authorities to make arrests and search buildings without a warrant. Jamaica has one of the highest murder rates in the Carribean and previously declared a state of emergency on November 15 to address the crime rate, but it failed to pass a senate vote to have it extended an dit ended on November 29. The newly announced state of emergency was met wit backlash from opposition politicians and members of the public.
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