20 Belmont Road

Kingston 5
E-mail: info@youngjamaica.com
www.youngjamaica.com

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 17, 2015

Damion Crawford Attack On INDECOM Alarming

The youth arm of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is condemning what it describes as reckless,
inflammatory and dangerous statements made by People’s National Party (PNP) MP Damion
Crawford in relation to the police watchdog, INDECOM.

According to Young Jamaica, Crawford's characterization of INDECOM as an "enemy of the

state" is a boorish and alarming attack on a commission of the Parliament of Jamaica. The
group says the comments were unworthy of a legislator, and in attacking a Commission of
the Parliament, Crawford has called into disrepute the legislature itself.

The organisation is demanding that no less than the Prime Minister instruct Crawford to
immediately withdraw his statements. Failure on the part of Mrs Simpson Miller to rein in yet
another intemperate outburst would send the worrying message that the government, of
which Crawford is a State Minister, condones his incredibly juvenile behaviour.

Young Jamaica says it is deeply concerned that there appears to be a move afoot in the PNP
to undermine the legitimacy and effectiveness of the oversight body.

"When one considers Crawford's increasing attacks, coupled with the Security Minister's ill-
advised decision to recommend an oversight body for the oversight body, you form the
uncomfortable perception that there are forces seeking to destabilize the organization."

"The People's National Party government must definitively declare its hand on whether it
supports the work INDECOM is doing in this country. It is becoming increasingly obvious that
there are forces within the PNP hell-bent on destroying it. Is this a move to appease
disgruntled police personnel ahead of an election? We would recommend to the government
that a credible crime strategy be developed. Do not make INDECOM a scapegoat for low
police morale."

Young Jamaica says Damion Crawford would do well to remember the reason the Parliament
saw it fit to establish INDECOM in the first place. "We are not going to allow INDECOM to be
bullied into submission. This will see us slipping back into the dark days where the law abiding
and hardworking men and women of the security forces were overshadowed by the scourge
of extrajudicial killings and police abuses. We had an unenviable record where extrajudicial
killings are concerned, that number is declining. INDECOM deserves to be strengthened, not
attacked and demeaned.

For the scores of young Jamaicans, especially inner city youth, who are losing faith in the
formal justice system, INDECOM represents a champion for their rights. Crawford is grossly
misguided if he believes it is anyone's best interest to take that away.

Donahue Martin
Vice President Area Council 1
(876) 456 - 3472