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'The big man is hurting you'
Published: Thursday | May 6, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi Alemanni (left), head of the European Union delegation in Jamaica, gives an ear to Member of Parliament Derrick Smith during the official handover of a classroom-expansion project at the Maverley Primary and Junior High School in St Andrew yesterday. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer
Mazzocchi Alemanni
Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter
The frequent outbreaks of violence in the northwest St Andrew community of Maverley, which have already cost many children of that area a normal life, have now robbed them of a fully equipped computer lab.
Head of the European Union (EU) delegation in Jamaica, Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi Alemanni, had promised the Maverley Primary and Junior High School a fully equipped computer lab if the community was able to complete the construction of four new classrooms and a resource lab within the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) contracted five-month time frame.
"I made a pledge back in September (2009) that if everything was done within five months, we would have equipped that computer lab. I know it is very necessary, but a deal is a deal, my friends, and you did not do it in time," Mazzocchi Alemanni told a stunned audience yesterday at the opening of the new classrooms.
"I know why you didn't do it in time and it was not the contractor's fault. There was violence, there were flare-ups, but I cannot equip the computer lab."
Hopeful minister
Mazzocchi Alemanni was speaking minutes after member of parliament for the area, Derrick Smith, expressed hope that there would be good news on the equipment for the lab.
The EU delegation head accepted that the innocent children would be the ones who would suffer most, and he gave them a message for the thugs.
"Tell the big men that you are depriving us, the European Union had promised us something if we had done it in time, but we couldn't do it in time because you had to fight, and some people even died," Mazzocchi Alemanni told the children.
Mazzocchi Alemanni was referring to three fatal shootings which took place in the community during the construction.
The police have not yet officially linked the shootings to the construction, but several residents claim conflicts related to the project ended in the deaths of the three young men.
"Communities have to help themselves. You did a great deal, but you couldn't fulfill your pledge. That is the message you have to pass on. The big man is not helping you. The big man is hurting you. We kept our commitment to build classrooms, but the additional commitment we cannot (keep)," said Mazzocchi Alemanni.
He, however, accepted that the contractors and the school community did make every effort to keep their end of the bargain.
"In recognition of that, we are going to give you a few computers, but not all of them."
The EU's decision not to fully equip the lab was disappointing to many community members, teachers and students at the opening ceremony.
Regrettable
"That is very, very sad and I think the residents need to take stock of where we are going and where we want our community to go," said Bobby Scott, who has been involved in several attempts to develop Maverley.
"It is regrettable that incidents occurred, but as a community, we will not give in to thugs," declared Lloyd Davis, president of the school board.
For his part, Smith knows that if the computer lab is not fully equipped by the EU community, residents will be looking to him as the member of parliament to address the shortfall, and it is a responsibility that he will not shirk.
But Smith is hopeful that the frequent violent conflicts will soon be a thing of the past.
"I don't want to speak too early, but over the past two months, there has been a respite, and I hope this is a signal that we have come to the end of it," Smith told The Gleaner.
"The thing is, no one seems to be able to tell us what they are fighting about, what they are shooting about. I think it is just too many guns in the hands of unemployed or unemployable youngsters. That is the problem islandwide, and Maverley has more than its fair share."
The four classrooms and lab were built on the school compound with almost $30 million from the EU, administered through the JSIF under its Poverty Reduction Programme, and $8 million in kind from the community.
arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...ead/lead2.html
Published: Thursday | May 6, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi Alemanni (left), head of the European Union delegation in Jamaica, gives an ear to Member of Parliament Derrick Smith during the official handover of a classroom-expansion project at the Maverley Primary and Junior High School in St Andrew yesterday. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer
Mazzocchi Alemanni
Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter
The frequent outbreaks of violence in the northwest St Andrew community of Maverley, which have already cost many children of that area a normal life, have now robbed them of a fully equipped computer lab.
Head of the European Union (EU) delegation in Jamaica, Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi Alemanni, had promised the Maverley Primary and Junior High School a fully equipped computer lab if the community was able to complete the construction of four new classrooms and a resource lab within the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) contracted five-month time frame.
"I made a pledge back in September (2009) that if everything was done within five months, we would have equipped that computer lab. I know it is very necessary, but a deal is a deal, my friends, and you did not do it in time," Mazzocchi Alemanni told a stunned audience yesterday at the opening of the new classrooms.
"I know why you didn't do it in time and it was not the contractor's fault. There was violence, there were flare-ups, but I cannot equip the computer lab."
Hopeful minister
Mazzocchi Alemanni was speaking minutes after member of parliament for the area, Derrick Smith, expressed hope that there would be good news on the equipment for the lab.
The EU delegation head accepted that the innocent children would be the ones who would suffer most, and he gave them a message for the thugs.
"Tell the big men that you are depriving us, the European Union had promised us something if we had done it in time, but we couldn't do it in time because you had to fight, and some people even died," Mazzocchi Alemanni told the children.
Mazzocchi Alemanni was referring to three fatal shootings which took place in the community during the construction.
The police have not yet officially linked the shootings to the construction, but several residents claim conflicts related to the project ended in the deaths of the three young men.
"Communities have to help themselves. You did a great deal, but you couldn't fulfill your pledge. That is the message you have to pass on. The big man is not helping you. The big man is hurting you. We kept our commitment to build classrooms, but the additional commitment we cannot (keep)," said Mazzocchi Alemanni.
He, however, accepted that the contractors and the school community did make every effort to keep their end of the bargain.
"In recognition of that, we are going to give you a few computers, but not all of them."
The EU's decision not to fully equip the lab was disappointing to many community members, teachers and students at the opening ceremony.
Regrettable
"That is very, very sad and I think the residents need to take stock of where we are going and where we want our community to go," said Bobby Scott, who has been involved in several attempts to develop Maverley.
"It is regrettable that incidents occurred, but as a community, we will not give in to thugs," declared Lloyd Davis, president of the school board.
For his part, Smith knows that if the computer lab is not fully equipped by the EU community, residents will be looking to him as the member of parliament to address the shortfall, and it is a responsibility that he will not shirk.
But Smith is hopeful that the frequent violent conflicts will soon be a thing of the past.
"I don't want to speak too early, but over the past two months, there has been a respite, and I hope this is a signal that we have come to the end of it," Smith told The Gleaner.
"The thing is, no one seems to be able to tell us what they are fighting about, what they are shooting about. I think it is just too many guns in the hands of unemployed or unemployable youngsters. That is the problem islandwide, and Maverley has more than its fair share."
The four classrooms and lab were built on the school compound with almost $30 million from the EU, administered through the JSIF under its Poverty Reduction Programme, and $8 million in kind from the community.
arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...ead/lead2.html
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