As St. Ann’s residents leave their homes this Christmas season to go shopping, which could start as early as next week, Businessman Joe Issa, urges them to shop online instead.
“There is too much at stake when you go out shopping, especially these days and during the busy Christmas holiday season. It’s tiring and you never seem to get what you want on the first trip.
“Meanwhile the criminals are watching your movements and are planning to target you on one of these many occasions when you leave your home to go shopping,” Issa argues.
Noting that he is no security expert, “it seems to me that you have to have the appropriate company throughout the shopping experience, from leaving to returning home, including where you walk or drive, to where you shop,” Issa says.
Issa who, every year since 2013 has sought to caution parishioners to tread carefully, especially during the major holidays and in particular, the Christmas shopping season, declares that he operates an online shopping service.
“Apart from the fact that online shopping saves you time and money, gives you more items to choose from, does not involve cash, walking or driving, it can also save your life,” says Issa, who is at pains to stress that his overriding concern is for the safety of citizens, in the face of rising murders in the parish, as well as the unacceptable level of shootings, rape, robberies and break-ins, citing the latest Jamaica Constabulary Force report.
It indicates that St Ann experienced 34 murders in the first 10 months of the year, an increase of four or 13% over the same period in 2014; shooting was up by nine or 29% to 40; robberies remained the same at 105, while break-ins fell by 37% to 99 in the parish so far this year.
Says Issa: “At these levels, crime and violence it much too high in the parish, and the season is not over yet…we need to remain cautious, careful about where we go shopping and how late we stay on the streets…if you have the means to shop online, do so instead.”
