By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net 

THE first charges under new anti-gang legislation passed by the government well over a year ago are expected to be brought “very shortly”, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis revealed yesterday after another weekend of murders and violent crime.

Mr Davis said authorities are currently reviewing “a couple of files” and expect to bring charges under the long-awaited legislation which was passed in Parliament last April in response to a surge in murders, many linked to gang retaliation.

Under the new laws, a gang leader or member can face up to 25 years in prison; anyone committing a crime as part of a gang or intimidating others into joining one can be jailed for up to seven years; gang members whose actions lead to death could also face life imprisonment.

In June, Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles told reporters officials were investigating the first case under the Anti-Gang Act but were still gathering enough evidence to proceed to court. Since then, no one has been charged under the act.

When asked about the lack of prosecution, Mr Davis said he understands why no charges have not been filed so far, but did not elaborate further.

Interest in seeing gang members charged under the legislation comes as police investigate a string of murders, some believed to be gang-related.

Yesterday, Mr Davis lamented the rising violence, noting that this past week has been “far too bloody”.

Last week, police reported several shootings, including a mass daylight shooting in the Ridgeland Park area on Saturday that killed two men and injured five others.

Two men were arrested in connection with the incident.

While decrying the violence, Mr Davis warned the nation must “emancipate ourselves” from this vicious cycle and “free our communities from its grip”.

“Today, my friends, we face a new fight for the soul of our country,” he said. “Every week, I have to face one of the most painful parts of my job.  In my briefings from the Commissioner of Police, I see the reports, I hear the names, and I look at the faces of our young men who have been killed.” 

He added: “What strikes me most is how many of our young men are being taken from us, and far too often, it is at the hands of other young men.”

Mr Davis said each life lost and shooting “leaves another wound on the soul of our nation”.

He added that beyond resources, police require community support.

“They need a community that will stand with them,” he added. “They need people who will not look the other way.  They need citizens who will speak up when they see trouble.”

He warned that parents must speak up when they see their children going astray.

Mr Davis referenced a recent incident where a grandmother was fatally shot while driving her son’s car and her two-year-old grandchild was seriously injured.

Though he did not name the victim, the details match the January 11, 2024, shooting of 57-year-old Renee Gray, whose grandson, Adonai Moss, remains in critical condition.

Prime Minister Davis said people cannot afford to stay silent any longer. He urged parents not to shield their children involved in crime and to act early by reporting it before it’s too late.

He also repeated his call for political unity during election season, saying political differences should not breed hatred.

“Yes, an election season is coming,” he said, “Yes, we will have our debates and our disagreements, and we will wear our party colors. But we must reject the politics that tells us we have to hate each other because of who we support.”

“Do not let anyone convince you that if you are PLP, you cannot speak to an FNM, or if you are FNM, you cannot speak or sit with a PLP, and that goes to the COI as well.”

His comments came during a visit to St Paul’s Baptist Church, one of several churches he and other officials toured in celebration of Fox Hill Day yesterday.