Highlights

Online portal to fast-track applications for development permits

A Development Applications Review Process (DARP) Public Portal 11 has been created to improve the process of application for environmental and construction permits. It is part of the Application Management and Data Automation (AMANDA) system

Quick Links

Real-Time Tracking Enabled For Customers of the Development Applications Review Process

The Ministry of Local Government, with the support of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), and the Office of the Cabinet, has completed installation of the Application Management and Data Automation (AMANDA) system in

A New Approach: National Security Policy for Jamaica (NSP) was laid in Parliament as Ministry Paper #63 on April 29, 2014 and in the Senate on May 2, 2014.

It sets out six major actions as key priorities:

Remove the profit from crime

  1. Establish a permanent framework for inter-ministerial cooperation.
    • Agencies with responsibility:
      • OPM
      • MNS
  2. Upgrade the intelligence architecture, strengthen technical capability.
    • Agencies with responsibility:
      • Office of the Prime Minister
      • Ministry of National Security
      • Jamaica Constabulary Fund
      • Jamaica Defence Force
      • Ministry of Finance and Planning
      • Financial Investigaton Division
      • Revenue Protection Division
  3. Establish a special court.
    • Agency with responsibility:
      • Ministry of Justice
      • Automatic denial of tainted assets
      • Agency with responsibility
      • Ministry of Justice
  4. Asset forfeiture.
    • Agency with responsibility:
      • Financial Investigation Division
  5. Increase capacity of financial investigations.
    • Agencies with responsibility:
      • Ministry of Finance and Planning
      • Financial Investigation Division
  6. Establish higher levels of transparency and oversight of the award of public contracts.
    • Agencies with responsibility:
      • National Contracts Commission
      • Office of the Contractor General
  7. Increase penalties for contravening public sector procurement guidelines.
    • Agency with responsibility:
      • Ministry of Finance and Planning
  8. Seized assets should be reinvested in an asset seizure programme.
    • Agency with responsibility:
      • Financial Investigation Division

Reform the Justice System

These are the actions from the National Security Policy (NSP) to Reform the Justice System:

  1. Improve court management.
    • Agencies with responsibility:
      • Ministry of Justice
      • Director of Public Prosecutions
      • Ministry of National Security
  2.  Reduce Delays.
    • Agencies with responsibility:
      • Ministry of Justice
      • Director of Public Prosecutions
      • Ministry of National Security
  3.  Increase consistency.
    • Agencies with responsibility:
      • Ministry of Justice
      • Ministry of National Security
  4.  Increase Effectiveness Against Organised Crime.
    • Agencies with responsibility:
      • Ministry of Justice
      • Ministry of National Security
      • Jamaica Constabulary Force
  5. Ensure the integrity of the Judiciary. 
    • Agency with responsibility:
      • Ministry of Justice

Policing by Consent

There are action points from the National Security Policy to support policing by consent.

  1. Reassuring the public.
    • Responsible agencies:
      • Jamaica Constabulary Force
      • Ministry of National Security
      • Ministry of Justice
  2. Supporting the police.
    • Responsible agencies:
      • Jamaica Constabulary Force
      • Ministry of National Security
  3.  Information Management.
    • Responsible agencies:
      • Jamaica Constabulary Force
      • Ministry of National Security
      • Jamaica Defence Force
      • Firearm Licensing Authority
      • Director of Public Prosecutions
  4.  Supportive Legislative Reforms.
    • Responsible agencies:
      • Ministry of National Security
      • Ministry of Justice
      • Ministry of Science Technology Energy and Management
  5.  Management of Staff and Resources.
    • Responsible agencies:
      • Jamaica Constabulary Force
      • Ministry of National Security

Focus on At-Risk Individuals and Communities

These are action points from the National Security Policy to focus on At-Risk Individuals and Communities:

  1. Breaking the Cycle of Violence: Every school should have a programme to deal with maladaptive behaviour, trauma, post traumatic stress, depression, and other long-term consequences of the physical, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse of children.
    • Responsibility:
      • Ministry of Education
  2. Social Intervention: The first goal of all intervention programmes should be a sustained reduction in the level of crime and violence.
    • Responsibility:
    • Office of the Prime Minister
    • Ministry of National Security
    • Jamaica Constabulary Force
  3. Self sustaining process of economic regeneration
    • Responsibility:
      • Jamaica Constabulary Force

Strengthen Systems of Governance

These are the action points from the National Security Policy to strengthen systems of governance:

  1. Move the focus away from reactive and containment strategies to concentrate on dismantling criminal organisations, including their facilitators.
  2. Seize the proceeds of crime.
  3. Strengthen anti-corruption measures.
  4. Increase transparence in the public accounts, especially with regard to procurement.
  5. Reform the justice system.
  6. Improve intelligence-sharing with key strategic partners.
  7. Encourage the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Judiciary to vigourously pursue the most serious cases of high-level corruption and illegal enrichment.

National Security Policies

National Security Policy - 2014
National Security Policy - 2007