As you just heard - Elrington is pleased with the funding package - and he’s also pleased with Commissioner Whylie.  Even coming off one of the most murderous years on record, and a January that saw 15 murders - Elrington said it can’t be blamed on the COMPOL

Jules Vasquez
"Is Mr. Whylie's job being under review or is it a matter that the cabinet or Prime Minister is looking at because of the poor results we've had in controlling the number of homicides or violent deaths as you may wish to call them?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Minister of Home Affairs
"In relation to Mr. Whylie I can tell you that as far as I am concerned I have no second guessing about Mr. Whylie. I reiterate the position I make that police is team work. I have found Mr. Whylie to be quite intelligent as I've said, he seems to be a man of integrity, I have gotten no negatives from him, I have heard no negatives of him. I know we have a serious social problem where you have people are killing more than we would like to see happen. I know that he and his team are trying their best to contain it, I know also too that there is an increase in homicides all over the region and I expect that it will get worst."

Jules Vasquez
"It’s down in Salvador, its down in Honduras, its down in Guatemala."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"If it is down it is only minimally down and the kind of resources that they are putting in there is humongous as oppose to us. Then remember now we are getting all kind of criminals back into the country. I think only this week the Americans were dropping off 7 deportees and I imagine that number is going to increase. So it's a tall order, it's going to take time but I don't think that it is wise to be moving people like you're playing dominoes or checkers, that's not how it works. You have to build a team, a good strong team for the police and you also have to enhance in my view the condition, the socio-economic conditions of our people.”