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TG Residents Demand Answers
Published: Monday | September 26, 20110 Comments
T-shirts depicting Bruce Golding sit amid trash in a West Kingston neighbourhood last May in the aftermath of the Tivoli Gardens incursion. Yesterday, sentiments in the community changed after the PM's announced his resignation. - File
Nedburn Thaffe, Gleaner Writer
Hours after Prime Minister Bruce Golding delivered the political bombshell that he will not be seeking re-election as head of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) at its annual conference in November, the big question on the lips of many residents in the JLP stronghold of Tivoli Gardens was, why?
"We want him to write to us and tell us, in at least 200 words, why him a step down. We nah accept this! No sah!" said one young man who spoke to The Gleaner yesterday.
The young man, who refused to give his name, was among a group of party supporters who converged on a veranda in the community discussing the issue and trying to come to terms with the news that trickled in from the meeting of the party's Central Executive that was under way at its Belmont Road, New Kingston, office.
As The Gleaner team drove through the community yesterday, the streets, which a little over a year ago were the battlefield for the security forces and thugs loyal to Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, were almost vacant.
Some residents flatly turned down requests to speak on the issue, while most of those who did offered responses in hushed tones and on condition of anonymity.
"A Bruce wi seh. Wi want Bruce," were some of the words that echoed from a few of the many high-rise buildings as residents waved their curtains to make their loyalty to their constituency representative known.
"From mi hear di news, mi turn off di fire underneath mi rice and peas. Mi knees dem weak. Mi cyaa believe," stated Euleene Morgan.
"Mi start t'ink all kind a t'ings. Bruce do nuff fi wi, but most people jus waan crucify him. Jus like how (Edward) Seaga step down and gave us di reason, wi need him fi come and tell wi why," she said.
Morgan, when asked which member of the party Tivoli Gardens would endorse as Golding's replacement, said, "Mi nuh know about anybody else, but anybody inna the JLP have mi backings. Mi love mi party, me nuh business a who."
"Them crucify Christ and him never do anything, him bear it," stated one 74-year-old resident of the community. "Mi stand up behind him all the way, mi nah give him up for nobody," she said.
A few chains down the road, the reaction from at least one resident was far different.
"A long time him fi lef'. Him bring Babylon (police) down here fi kill off him own people. Him fi go weh," one man inside the community stated.
Tivoli Gardens is the backbone of Golding's West Kingston constituency. Golding has been the member of parliament since 2005. More than 70 persons were killed in the community last year after a police-military operation was launched to capture the fugitive Coke.
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