Old Harbour businessman calls for reduced curfew hours under SOE

The SOE, which covers four police divisions, including St. Catherine South – where Old Harbour is located – was declared to address a surge in violent crimes. It is set to last for 14 days, expiring on February 5, but could be extended for another two weeks if the situation remains volatile.

Despite Old Harbour recording only one additional murder compared to the same period last year (four murders since January), local residents and business owners feel disproportionately impacted by the stringent measures.

Under the SOE regulations, businesses must close between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., with exceptions granted to pharmacies, doctor’s offices, gas stations, and fast-food establishments like KFC and Juici Patties, classified as essential services. Residents are also required to stay home during these hours unless faced with exceptional circumstances.

However, Samuda, proprietor of Kaluga Kafe, has proposed extending business hours until 10:00 p.m., arguing that the current curfew is economically unsustainable for small business owners –the backbone of Old Harbour’s economy.

“My take is that this 6:00 pm lock-off is unrealistic and it is taking away the people’s civil rights which can be defined as draconian. My belief is that balancing crime fighting and business is important. I don’t believe in taking away one to achieve the other. A lot of people in Old Harbour are struggling, many holding on to threads… and if this should go on it will be a major blow over the next 14 days.

“So I’m imploring that you seek to address this. If you can move it to 10:00 pm we would appreciate that,” said the Kaluga Kafe proprietor at a public session Friday put by the Old Harbour police command team now headed by ASP Romario Rankin.

In response, ASP Rankin acknowledged the concerns and assured the gathering that the feedback would be communicated to higher authorities for consideration.

“The SOE just started, we’ve not gone a weekend in the SOE so we cannot rightfully say that it cannot be staggered,” he explained. “However, at the beginning of the SOE the times will remain as they are until we get back a sense of law and order. Once that is restored I am pretty sure that the powers that be will relax the time to a more flexible working hour.”

Samuda, a former president of the Old Harbour Chamber of Commerce – now rebranded as the South St. Catherine Chamber of Commerce – also reiterated the need for JamaicaEye, the national surveillance system, to be installed in Old Harbour to deter criminal activity.

Treacha Reid, who succeeded Samuda as head of the business group, encouraged local businesses to join the organization to amplify their collective voice. She noted that the situation requires a delicate balance between economic interests and national security.

The decision to impose an SOE across the entire police division has sparked debate, especially in Old Harbour. Critics argue that the area’s recent murders – none of which are gang-related—occurred in isolation and were likely committed by criminals from outside the community.

ASP Rankin, however, highlighted that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) high command evaluates crime patterns holistically, noting that criminals often cross jurisdictional boundaries to evade heightened security.

“If you check the stats with the JCF comparing last year to this year, St Catherine is standing second on the chart with the highest number of murders since the start of the year and as such the SOE was enacted. This division has recorded the highest number within St Catherine South coupled with Central Village,” said the new police chief, adding that more security personnel will be deployed to the area “in short order”.