KINGSTON, Jamaica — A sharp political clash has erupted over the state of human rights in Jamaica, after Justice Minister Delroy Chuck’s controversial denial of a national human rights issue prompted scathing criticism from opposition justice spokesperson Zuleika Jess, who labeled the minister’s remarks “delusional” in light of a recent spate of deadly police violence.
Chuck first made the striking declaration during his scheduled address to the Sectoral Debate in Jamaica’s House of Representatives last Wednesday. In his comments, the minister asserted that Jamaica “does not, and I hope will never have, a human rights problem.” He defended his position by noting the existence of the Office of the Public Defender, a body empowered to investigate and prosecute violations of human rights, arguing that any aggrieved citizen could seek redress through the institution.
The opposition pushed back just one day later, when Jess spoke at a groundbreaking event for a major water infrastructure project in St Elizabeth. The $148 million Santa Cruz By-pass Mains Replacement initiative marks the latest phase of the larger Santa Cruz Water Supply Improvement Programme, a public works effort aimed at upgrading access to reliable water for local communities. It was at this public gathering that Jess delivered her forceful response to Chuck’s remarks.
Jess, who also serves as Member of Parliament for St Elizabeth North Eastern, argued that Chuck’s claim was indefensible in the wake of a devastating recent incident: 11 fatal police shootings carried out across the country in a single 24-hour period. “For a country that is experiencing 11 brutal police fatalities in 24 hours and to have a Minister of Justice state that there is no human rights issue, we find that to be almost delusional on the part of the Minister of Justice,” Jess stated.
She expanded on her criticism, framing Chuck’s comments as more than just a misstatement. Jess argued that the declaration amounts to an alarming disconnect from on-the-ground realities, and an insult to thousands of Jamaican families who have demanded justice for loved ones killed under suspicious circumstances. “It is a dismissal of the lived realities that so many people here in Jamaica continue to face,” she added.
The opposition spokesperson closed by calling on Chuck to reverse his position: she urged the minister to reconsider his remarks, retract the controversial statement, and realign his public views with the actual conditions facing Jamaican citizens. “The reality is that the people of Jamaica need justice and we need a government that doesn’t turn a blind eye to the realities on the ground,” Jess emphasized.