THE Government has agreed to consider a suggestion that the limited State of Emergency in the parishes of Kingston and St Andrew be extended to sections of St Catherine.

The suggestion to extend the emergency measures to the neighbouring parish was made yesterday by Opposition parliamentarian Sharon Hay-Webster, who said violence in the nation's capital, Kingston, had spread to sections of her South Central St Catherine constituency, "where many lives have been lost since Monday night, including three children in drive-by shooting".

The Government on Sunday declared the limited State of Public Emergency for the Corporate Area as it intensified attempts to arrest reputed Tivoli Gardens don, Christopher 'Dudus' Coke who is wanted by the United States to face drug-and gun-running charges.

The period of emergency is expected to last for one month, unless revoked before.

Members of the army and police have since Sunday been engaged in fierce battles with gunmen who have been trying to prevent the arrest of Coke.

"Is there any consideration of the extension of the boundaries of the State of Emergency to include possibly Portmore and Spanish Town because of the rate of violence that is escalating in those communities? I plead on behalf of the persons affected in those communities," Hay-Webster said in the House of Representatives yesterday.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding, in responding, said St Catherine was not considered initially since the focus was on areas of concern, as defined by the intelligence that the security forces had.

"I take note of the events you have referred to. It is a matter, naturally, that we will have to consult with the security forces about, not only in terms of the need, but also in terms of the capacity to maintain the kind of intensity that would be required in an area that is subject to emergency powers, but I certainly will undertake to consult the security forces on the matter," said the prime minister.

In the meantime, Golding said operations in Tivoli Gardens were being maintained to allow for detailed search for illegal guns and persons who may be wanted by the police for criminal charges.