Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU

Public Defender Earl Whitter says that, to his satisfaction, more than 90 per cent of complaints made against members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are being cleared up.

Whitter, an attorney-at-law, made the disclosure while speaking to members of the media in Montego Bay, St James. He is currently chairing the second joint meeting of the Caribbean Ombudsman Association and the Central American Council of Human Rights Ombudsmen, being held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the Second City.

Infringement of rights

Whitter said if his office had any challenges at all, they would be in relation to investigations into allegations of infringement of rights by the constabulary.

"But I won't miss any opportunity to say they have an extraordinary job to perform in a crime-ridden country such as Jamaica," he added.

Whitter admitted, however, that outside other government agencies and ministries, the JCF accounted for the most complaints received by his office.

"This should surprise no one. As much as citizens have a right to complain about rights of abuse, based on the challenges the JCF face, its members will err," he said.

No precise figures

Whitter said he was not able to give precise figures for the number of complaints it was now investigating against the JCF. He said the figures would be given when the statistics were tabulated.

About 30 members from across the Caribbean are attending the three-day event, which ends tomorrow.