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The government wants to increase the penalty for murder to 45 years.

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The Jamaican government is working to modify the murder punishment.

According to Prime Minister Andrew Holness, this is being done quickly and purposefully in order to finalize the proposal for today’s Cabinet meeting.

On Saturday, he gave a speech at the East Central St James Education Fund’s 25th Anniversary Fundraising Dinner in Montego Bay.

According to the prime minister, the suggested sentencing plan is as follows:

For non-capital murder, the sentence is 45 years to life, meaning at least 45 years must be served before parole is considered. In contrast, for capital murder, the penalty is death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

According to Holness, disagreement over the employment of constitutionally mandated tools to combat crime encourages criminal activity.

He added that the longer we remain divided on the issue and on taking effective action, the more criminals feel as though they have somewhere to hide. “People are losing their lives as society moves back and forth on intellectual discussions,” he said.

The prime minister added that the wise application of constitutional tools that upholds human rights and safeguards Jamaica’s liberal democracy is successful in reducing crime.

He emphasized that the government always treats human rights with the utmost respect and consideration while using these tools.

Holness added that he hopes for agreement on the use of constitutional tools, but in the meanwhile, the government is changing its legislation and criminal justice framework.

The prime minister recently announced an increase in the fine for improperly disposing of solid trash as one of the most recent examples of this.

He said that the government is making changes to laws and punishments to reflect the importance that all Jamaicans take on maintaining public order, safety, and security.

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