MONTEGO BAY, St James — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has sought to assure members of the business community and other residents of St James that their pleas to address the spiralling murder toll in the parish will not go unheard.

Up to yesterday morning the murder tally in the parish stood at 264 since the start of the year.

“I want to say to the business people who are here that I listen to the radio, I hear your cries and I get all the messages that are sent through various channels about your concern regarding crime in your wonderful city. I take them seriously and we are doing all that we can and more to ensure that we bring the situation under control very quickly,” the prime minister stated.

Holness also noted that he is au fait with the threat that crime poses to the business sector.

“We cannot ignore the reality that crime is also a serious consideration and, indeed, an impediment to business growth in Jamaica. The business community in Montego Bay is especially sensitive to this reality,” the prime minister argued.

He added: “With continued commitment and partnership with the people, the business community and other stakeholders in Montego Bay, we are serious about effecting sustainable positive transformation.”

He pointed out that in a move to guarantee the roll-out of the social intervention projects and continue to hold the lid on crime in Mount Salem in the parish, the Zone of Special Operations (ZOSO) has been extended in the community.

“Earlier this week, with unwaivering support in Parliament we were able to secure the extension of the Mount Salem zone of special operations for a further 60 days. And this will give more space to our law enforcement teams to continue their security work and for the social intervention committee to actually start the social intervention projects that will see to a long-lasting sustained peace in those areas where the zones are implemented,” Holness stated.

He was speaking at the official opening of GWest Centre at Fairview, Montego Bay, last Thursday evening.

The GWest Centre was established by a group of Jamaican medical and business professionals. It is housed in a modern multi-purpose commercial complex and provides a wide range of high-quality medical services in the same location.

Already the building houses the second location of Kirlew’s Radiology West imaging practice; Dr Doon Quah’s Facial and Oral Surgery Associates; Zierlich International Dialysis Centre operated by UK-trained dialysis practitioner and Jamaican businesswoman Dainty Powell; the Heart Smart Centre operated by cardiologist Dr Claudine Lewis; the GWest General Medical Practice suite for resident and visiting doctors; and North Coast Imaging, offering MRI services.

It also offers non-medical office space — Bull Investments, an insurance brokerage, among other service providers.