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.... time to move into the area with some balanced education initiative/community development... undercutting the dons.
But no doubt Jamaica will just continue the neglect... wait until people start dead like flies... then move in with an anti crime plan.
Pathetic, sick country.
Wounds heal; guns silent in Arnett Gardens
KARYL WALKER, Crime/court co-ordinator walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, March 19, 2009
AFTER years of violence and bloodletting, which saw more than 350 persons being murdered and scores of others shot and injured, residents of the often embattled enclave of Arnett Gardens are now able to move freely throughout their community.
Just last year rival factions supporting two powerful area leaders based in different sections of Arnett Gardens, popularly called 'Concrete Jungle', were still engaged in bloody battles and had residents from various sections of the community living under the gun. Attendance at the four schools located in the community fell significantly and educators traversed the treacherous roads to school in fear for their lives.
But for more than six months, the wounds of gang warfare have started to heal.
"The people have just decided that enough is enough and everybody is moving freely from one community to the next," Head of the Kingston West Police Division, Superintendent Delroy Hewitt, told the Observer.
Hewitt's view was endorsed by a female resident of the community, who gave her name as 'Lushus'.
"Things cool and everything criss. No more war because is mostly innocent people dead and we need to get on with our lives," Lushus said.
The internal conflict started on Good Friday 2004, when gunmen pounced on Anthony 'Chuncie' Folkes, as he sat on a motorbike overseeing the distribution of Easter buns.
Police said Folkes was a top aide of Arnett Gardens strongman George Phang, against whom sections of Arnett Gardens rose up in rebellion for political spoils and contracts.
The war raged for almost three more years as gunmen drove fear into the hearts of residents. The ruthless criminals slaughtered women, children and hundreds of men during the conflict which engulfed the Mexico, Top Jungle, Angola, Zimbabwe, Pegasus, Jones Town and Craig Town areas.
The violence cooled somewhat after Phang, his brother Andrew and his rival Patrick Roberts were collared by Deputy Commissioner Mark Shields on Boxing Day 2005 and locked up at the New Horizon Remand Centre. Shields said the three were suspected of conspiracy to murder and of fuelling the gang violence.
The flood of murders and shootings caused the police many headaches and Hewitt, who is known as a 'lead from the front' divisional commander, was kept busy.
According to Hewitt, the peace in the community has lifted a burdensome weight off the shoulders of the security forces.
About six months ago, a team of police officers and soldiers, who were strategically placed at the intersection of Ninth Street and Collie Smith Drive as a buffer between the warring factions, was dismantled.
"It has made life easier for everybody. People who had to find alternate routes to go about their business can now move through former 'no go zones' without fear," Hewitt said.
However, the tough cop warned that despite the absence of violence the security forces would be maintaining their presence in the area.
"They had better hold the peace or we will force them to hold it," Hewitt said.
Deputy Superintendent Arthur Brown, the crime officer for the police division, said many of the gang members who were responsible for the crimes were no longer around.
"Some have migrated, others have fled the area while other have met their demise. This does not mean that there are not still dangerous criminals in the area, but things are much quieter now," Brown said.
But no doubt Jamaica will just continue the neglect... wait until people start dead like flies... then move in with an anti crime plan.
Pathetic, sick country.
Wounds heal; guns silent in Arnett Gardens
KARYL WALKER, Crime/court co-ordinator walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, March 19, 2009
AFTER years of violence and bloodletting, which saw more than 350 persons being murdered and scores of others shot and injured, residents of the often embattled enclave of Arnett Gardens are now able to move freely throughout their community.
Just last year rival factions supporting two powerful area leaders based in different sections of Arnett Gardens, popularly called 'Concrete Jungle', were still engaged in bloody battles and had residents from various sections of the community living under the gun. Attendance at the four schools located in the community fell significantly and educators traversed the treacherous roads to school in fear for their lives.
But for more than six months, the wounds of gang warfare have started to heal.
"The people have just decided that enough is enough and everybody is moving freely from one community to the next," Head of the Kingston West Police Division, Superintendent Delroy Hewitt, told the Observer.
Hewitt's view was endorsed by a female resident of the community, who gave her name as 'Lushus'.
"Things cool and everything criss. No more war because is mostly innocent people dead and we need to get on with our lives," Lushus said.
The internal conflict started on Good Friday 2004, when gunmen pounced on Anthony 'Chuncie' Folkes, as he sat on a motorbike overseeing the distribution of Easter buns.
Police said Folkes was a top aide of Arnett Gardens strongman George Phang, against whom sections of Arnett Gardens rose up in rebellion for political spoils and contracts.
The war raged for almost three more years as gunmen drove fear into the hearts of residents. The ruthless criminals slaughtered women, children and hundreds of men during the conflict which engulfed the Mexico, Top Jungle, Angola, Zimbabwe, Pegasus, Jones Town and Craig Town areas.
The violence cooled somewhat after Phang, his brother Andrew and his rival Patrick Roberts were collared by Deputy Commissioner Mark Shields on Boxing Day 2005 and locked up at the New Horizon Remand Centre. Shields said the three were suspected of conspiracy to murder and of fuelling the gang violence.
The flood of murders and shootings caused the police many headaches and Hewitt, who is known as a 'lead from the front' divisional commander, was kept busy.
According to Hewitt, the peace in the community has lifted a burdensome weight off the shoulders of the security forces.
About six months ago, a team of police officers and soldiers, who were strategically placed at the intersection of Ninth Street and Collie Smith Drive as a buffer between the warring factions, was dismantled.
"It has made life easier for everybody. People who had to find alternate routes to go about their business can now move through former 'no go zones' without fear," Hewitt said.
However, the tough cop warned that despite the absence of violence the security forces would be maintaining their presence in the area.
"They had better hold the peace or we will force them to hold it," Hewitt said.
Deputy Superintendent Arthur Brown, the crime officer for the police division, said many of the gang members who were responsible for the crimes were no longer around.
"Some have migrated, others have fled the area while other have met their demise. This does not mean that there are not still dangerous criminals in the area, but things are much quieter now," Brown said.
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