KINGSTON, Jamaica — Government back-bencher, Dr Winston Green (South East St Mary), says that the government should consider ‘farm guard teams’ to assist the police in protecting farmers from praedial larceny.
“I want to recommend that the government allows and encourages farmers to set up in their respective communities, what I call farm guard teams, that will assist or work along with the (police) units in patrolling their farms on a rotational basis, with proper communications network,” Dr Green told the House of Representatives, as he made his contribution to the current sectoral debate.
He said that in rural farming districts, it is difficult to commit a crime and escape, when a proper alarm is made which should make it easier to patrol the farms.
“I want to push the envelope a little: I am also recommending that limited police/military training be given to these farm guard teams, even in the use of firearms, and everything should be done to make it easier for them to legally bear arms to protect their property, like any other business person. Of course, this would exclude persons with serious crime records, etcetera,” Dr Green added.
Dr Green, in a very emotional plea for help for farmers in his constituency plagued by praedial larceny, said that the thieves were depriving the farmers of their life investments, and discouraging others from going into farming.
“This drastic situation requires drastic measures. The difficulty in convicting the perpetrators and the slap on the wrist punishment, when convicted, must be addressed,” he stated.
He said, however, that he welcomed the proposals for units to be set up, in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and Ministry of National Security, to assist to deal with the problem.
Balford Henry
