Government to boost monitoring of communication by criminals

The Jamaican Government is moving to boost the capacity of  the security forces to monitor communication by criminals.

The was revealed by National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang at a news conference on Sunday, hen he outlined legislative measures to be pursued to enhance the government's crime fighting capacity. 

He noted that review of  the anti-gang legislation is near completion, with important amendments being examined, but asserted that the government will not only be relying on that law to suppress gang activities.

He said Amendments to the Intercept Act will be brought to Parliament shortly "to provide the security forces with an effective means of using modern technology to gather evidence in dealing with the criminal enterprises - the gangs, their dons - and the bringing of guns into the country."

The Interception of  Communications Act allows the security forces to tap the telephones of  persons suspected of or accused of  criminal involvement.

It authorizes the interception of  all of  the communication of  a specific person named in a warrant and enables authorized officers to request technical information from telecommunications service providers under the Telecommunications Act.