Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Minister, Dr Horace Chang, has opined that criminals who commit murders on school campuses should be tried for capital murder and potentially have their rights to appeals their conviction restricted, as long as it is permissible under the Jamaican Constitution.
"We have to look at how we deal with this (murders being committed on or close to school compounds), but I think those perpetrators should be... treated differently," Chang asserted.
The minister, in his usual tough-talking stance, made the bold declarations while on a visit to Holmwood Technical High School in Christiana, Manchester on Friday, where school bus driver Rohan Gentles was shot and killed shortly after 8am by a gunman on the school compound.
The police have since apprehended two suspects as they probe the daring daylight gun attack that occurred as students arrived for classes.
According to Chang, criminals, particularly those said to be contract killers, are taking advantage of the relatively quiet environment that schools offer.
"This is about the fourth incident we have had in very recent time. Schools that are quiet offer opportunity, and it is the professional criminals who do this; they look for spaces they can do these things without immediate police response," Chang stated.
He noted Prime Minister Andrew Holness' use of the term ‘domestic terrorists’ to brand some criminals who carry out nefarious acts, including mass shootings.
"Domestic terrorist is a term that has been used by the prime minister, and I think (it) need(s) to be looked at.
"I don't know what the law and the constitution will permit, but I think individuals like that should be tried for capital murder, and some of their rights of appeal be, once evidence is there, restrained if it is possible, if the constitution (allows it), because this (gunmen committing murders at schools) is designed really to create fear," Chang suggested.
He said some of these shooting incidents at schools come from "the increased use of contract killers; people who kill for the sake of money".
Added Chang on this point relative to contract killers: "They have no concerns, no responsibility, (and) they have the guns.
"Individuals who are willing to take money and create this kind of brutish incident must be treated with the most severe possibility of the law, and I think we need some new legislation."
In offering condolences to the students and staff at Holmwood Technical High School over the death of Gentles, Chang assured that steps will be taken to avoid a reoccurrence of any such act.
"So far the police have been able to track dem (two suspects relative to the killing) down, but we want them to understand that whatever happens in these situations, we'll find them (these killers)..., because it is really a sad day when (or if) we have to put a police officer at each school," Chang stated.
