THE ORGY of violence which resulted in more than 1,600 people being murdered across the island last year has continued in 2009 with 13 persons killed in the first 48 hours.

The victims include 20-year-old Kimani Manderson, the first person killed in Jamaica this year.

He was fatally shot during a gun salute in Salt Spring St James minutes into the new year.

The killings have spoiled efforts by the National Transformation Pro-gramme (NTP) and the Peace Management Initiative (PMI) to have a crime free January.

The two groups secured the commitment from several gang leaders and area dons to put a lid on the violence but they have been powerless to prevent incidents like one in Mile End, St Ann, where 50-year-old Earl Hoilet was stabbed to death, allegedly by his 31-year-old son during a dispute at a bar.

Official murder figures for last year have not yet been released, but in his New Year's message, Prime Minister Bruce Golding claimed that the country ended the year with the murder figure three per cent above 2007 when 1,574 persons were killed.

This would put the murder total around 1,620, a shade below 2005 when a record 1,674 people were killed. According to the prime minister, while the crime rate was still too high the Ministry of National Security achieved some success in 2008.

"Up to the end of May, the murder rate was running at 18 per cent higher than last year. The measures which were instituted around the middle of the year have begun to work," Golding claimed.

"We are going to have to intensify even further the efforts we are making to turn back the tide of criminal activity plaguing the land. We are providing additional vehicles, equipment and other resources to the police," he said.

"We are stepping up recruitment, we are increasing our training capacity, we are improving our intelligence capabilities, we are intensifying police operations, and we are improving the court system. We must keep up the pressure for 2009," Golding added as he sought to provide a ray of hope to the nation.

'Fresh Start' campaign

Golding was supported by the Reverend Al Miller who heads the NTP, which operates out of the Office of the Prime Minister.

Miller has taken his 'Fresh Start Jamaica' campaign to tough inner-city communities including Nannyville, Woodford Park, Allman Town, Southside, Tel Aviv, Gold Street, Jungle 12, Goldsmith Villa and African Gardens in August Town.

His team has also visited Back Bush, off Mountain View Avenue, the nearby Burgher Gully, Whitfield Town, Trench Town and Jones Town where community leaders signalled their intention to bring an end to crime and violence.

Yesterday, Miller argued that 13 murders in the first two days of 2009 underscored the need for the NTP to increase its efforts to achieve a 'Fresh Start For Jamaica'.

"This shows that we need to do more and target more communities because we cannot continue killing 1,600 persons every year," Miller told The Sunday Gleaner.

He noted that of the 13 murders so far reported for 2009, none was committed in the communities already visited by the NTP or the PMI.

"What we need to do now is go to the other communities so far we have concentrated on the corporate area and sections of St Catherine but this week we should be in Clarendon and then head to St James," he said.

Clarendon, St James and St Catherine were particularly challenging for the security forces last year and already seven persons have been killed in those parishes.

"What has happened is that the PMI has concentrated its efforts in the corporate area and there has been no similar programme in St James or Clarendon were the young men are engaged in discussions," said Miller.

"We will need additional resources to target these parishes and this has to be followed by a major programme to create jobs and opportunities for these young men. Poor education and lack of opportunities leave them with no hope and this is the fuel for the violence fire," he added.

The police high command is expected to roll out its latest anti-crime plan this week.