MINISTER of Information Daryl Vaz says that he's trying to help organise media access to sections of Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town in West Kingston. However, he added that such a decision would remain "not a policy decision but an operational one."

Vaz is to update journalists shortly at a press conference this afternoon.

On previous occasions his governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has been accused of obstructing security force operations in Tivoli, which up to now was their strongest garrison constituency.

However, days after the assault began on Sunday the Jamaica Defence Force is still refusing access to media telling journalists that the area remains 'restricted' until their operation is complete, which has made it impossible to corroborate allegations of human rights abuses.

While soldiers allowed drivers through a checkpoint on Marcus Garvey Drive close to Tivoli, the Observer was specifically told by the JDF personnel that as media personnel we would be allowed no further.

Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair and Public Defender Earl Witter were sent into the community by Prime Minister Bruce Golding yesterday and returned largely satisfactory findings and no reports of human rights abuses.

Witter said that the majority of the 44 persons who were fatally shot by security forces are males under 30.

Today our news team could get no further than Charles Street inside Denham Town where we witnessed 15 young men, who appeared to be detainees, being forced to clear a roadblock on Charles Street inside Denham Town.

When finished they were then forced marched elsewhere inside the community under guard by police and soldier.

Security forces are currently holding 261 detainees in the area.

Two lawyers with strong West Kingston connections, George Soutar and Tom Tavares-Finson, were allowed access to the detainees today.

The pair expressed satisfaction that the detainees basic needs were being addressed, but expressed concern that there were 17 juveniles among them and that some of the detainees are either injured or in need of medical assistance.