Statement from the PRESIDENTS’ COUNCIL on the STATE OF EMERGENCY

In a meeting of the Presidents’ Council which took place today, July 21, 2010, the Association Presidents and their representatives expressed great concern about the events that unfolded in our Parliament on the afternoon of July 20, and which resulted in the defeat of the Government’s motion for the extension, at the request of the Security Forces, of the State of Emergency in the Corporate Area and in St. Catherine.

Our national leaders appear to have forgotten that only a few short weeks ago the Jamaican state was under real and imminent threat from organised crime, a threat that, while somewhat lessened in very recent times, has by no means been dealt with in a conclusive manner.

We believe that our Security Forces have served the nation well over the past two months, and deserve our support as they follow through on the assault on organised crime groups in communities in which they operate across the Island. Partisan politics and its corollary of disunity on vital national issues must not undermine their sacrifices, and the sacrifices of the country as a whole.

We therefore call upon both political parties to immediately sit down together, in the national interest, to resolve those differences that gave rise to the disappointing events that we all witnessed in Gordon House last evening, and to emerge with a common accord as to the strategies that will be utilised against that greatest threat to national progress: the scourge of crime and violence.

Joseph M. Matalon Francis Kennedy Rosalea Hamilton Vitus Evans
President 1st Vice President President President
PSOJ JCC The MSME Alliance JEA

On behalf of our Member and Affiliate Organisations in attendance:

1 Blockmakers Association of Jamaica
2 Insurance Association of Jamaica
3 Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica
4 Jamaica Bankers Association
5 Jamaica Chamber of Commerce
6 Jamaica Developers Association
7 Jamaica Employers Federation
8 Jamaica Exporters' Association
9 Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association
10 Jamaica Ornamental Fish Farmers Association
11 Jamaica Used Car Dealers Association
12 Mining & Quarrying Association of Jamaica
13 MSME Alliance
14 National Council of Taxi Association
15 Portland Chamber of Commerce
16 Realtors Association of Jamaica
17 Shipping Association of Jamaica
18 The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica

For more information contact:

Joseph M. Matalon, President
The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica
39 Hope Road, Kingston 10
Mobile: 382-3392
E-mail:psojpresident@psoj.org

Francis Kennedy, 1st Vice President
The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC)
Suite 13 – 15, UDC Office centre Building
12 Ocean Boulevard, Kingston
Mobile: 322-4154
Email: m.samuda@mail.infochan.com

Rosalea Hamilton, President
MSME Alliance
c/o The University of Technology, Jamaica
237 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6
Mobile: 881-9269
Email: rosaleahamilton@yahoo.com

Vitus Evans, President
Jamaica Exporters’ Association (JEA)
1 Winchester Road, Kingston 10
Mobile: 383-7176
Email: vevans@infochan.com

2010 July 21