By Andrew Clunis

Some years ago as he was embarking on his leadership journey, Dr Andrew Holness promised Jamaicans that we would soon have been able to sleep with our doors and windows open.

We can all agree that it was a bout of youthful political exuberance but in 2026 we find ourselves giving some credence to the prophecy. It’s work in progress. For the first time in over three decades the country recorded fewer than 700 murders in 2025. This is coming from a high of over 1600 per year a few years ago.

So the highest plaudits must go to Dr Holness, his Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang and Commissioners of police Major General Antony Anderson and Dr Kevin Blake.

It has been painstaking work but finally Jamaicans can feel safer at home in the land of their birth. We don’t hear much applause from the folks in the Diaspora but they are usually at the front of the pack whenever we have heinous homicidal incidents and are very swift in their condemnation of Jamaica.

The challenge is real and we must not become complacent. The government must continue to pump resources into safety and security and we will see even further reductions in murders. Then we will be able to truly endorse Jamaica as a place of choice to live, raise families, do business and retire in paradise.

But before we can get there there are some fundamentals that need to be addressed. Primary among them is our system of education. There are still too many young people who are being left behind becoming fodder for the criminal economy. The education system is struggling. Only a small fraction of students are making it through to higher education or vocational opportunities. Our 18-25 year olds are most at risk.

Social investment must be prioritized. The government cannot afford to overlook the essential connection between crime reduction and economic opportunity.

By creating jobs, especially for our youth, we can give them hope and a stake in society, reducing their allure toward illicit activities. We parade figures of having the lowest unemployment rate in the history of the country but pay rates are low and there aren’t many quality jobs around. So the three percent figure is questionable.

Innovative programs aimed at vocational training, entrepreneurship, and mentorship should be introduced, empowering young people with skills that are relevant in today's job market such as AI and information technology.

Community involvement is equally vital. There needs to be a concerted effort to foster partnerships between the police and local communities, encouraging cooperation, dialogue, and trust. Community policing initiatives can make a significant difference, as they empower residents to take an active role in their own safety and foster lasting relationships with law enforcement.

We see efforts at all of the above but they are not prioritised or properly resourced.

Equally important is the health sector's role in this equation. Mental health support services must be expanded to help those affected by violence or trauma. Providing access to counseling and rehabilitation for at-risk youth can prevent them from entering the vicious cycle of crime. The National Council on Drug Abuse is a sleeping giant. It needs far more resources to better connect with communities in order to perform rescue missions.

We must invest in recreational spaces and youth-centered activities to promote positive engagement. By offering alternatives to violence and an opportunity for young people to channel their energies constructively, we can begin to shift the narrative around Jamaica's safety and security.

It is indeed a multifaceted approach, but with strong political will and community collaboration, the vision of a Jamaica where people can sleep soundly with their doors and windows open can become more than a dream. It can be our new reality.