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Political flags symbols of peace along Mountain View Ave
Political flags symbols of peace along Mountain View Ave
Published: Friday | November 25, 2011
Collie Allen (left) and Errol Buckles are both long-time residents of Mountain View Avenue in St Andrew. Buckles is from a section of the area that supports the People's National Party, while Allen's area is Jamaica Labour Party territory. -Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer
by Robert Lalah, Assistant Editor - Features
Collie Allen, a lifelong resident of Mountain View Avenue in St Andrew, walked up to the corner of Jarrett Lane in the area early yesterday morning. An orange flag was hanging from a utility pole at the entrance to the lane. In an election period, that orange flag means only one thing - you are entering People's National Party (PNP) territory. Allen is well known around Mountain View Avenue as a supporter of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). He stood there for a second, puffed on a cigarette, then calmly entered the lane.
"You know, one time this wouldn't have been possible," he said. "Not in an election period."
Allen is 55 years old and has lived at Mountain View Avenue all his life. He said that in the past, the period leading up to general elections would have almost certainly been marked by violence. About a month before the 2007 elections, two women were shot and injured by gunmen in the area - a crime deemed politically motivated.
"Things are different this time around though," said Allen. "Mountain View Avenue has moved beyond the violence. We've become wiser than that."
Dealing with love
As Allen walked up Jarrett Lane, men from the community greeted him heartily. "Glad to see you, man! Come right in. Is love we dealing wid," shouted one dreadlocked man. Others waved hello.
A group of men standing next to a rusty zinc fence said Allen's assessment was correct.
"We really move away from that now," one of the men said. "We are on the PNP side and it don't matter if somebody want to vote for JLP. Everybody is free to do what dem want."
Green and orange flags were hanging all across Mountain View Avenue yesterday, showing the political alignment of the various lanes and streets.
"Even the flags show how much the community has changed," said Allen.
Men from the community nailed the flags to utility poles just after midday last week Saturday. It's an act that many frown upon, including Political Ombudsman Herro Blair, who has often called for their removal. But Allen and others say the flags at Mountain View Avenue are symbols of peace.
"It shows how free we are to express our political feelings," said Allen.
"One time people used to have to hide and hang up the flags under the cover of night. If anyone from the other side caught you doing it, is surely gunshot," he said.
"But we hang the flags together this year in bright daylight. Today, I stand up under my green flag and you stand up across the road under your red flag and we just wave and say hello," Allen said, smiling.
"We realise that political violence only benefit the undertaker and the lawyer. We not into that anymore. People used to say Mountain View bad, but everybody can learn and grow. Now, for this election, we going to be the example to the rest of the country. We going to show how decent people approach elections."
robert.lalah@gleanerjm.com
Log on to www.jamaica-gleaner.com/videos to see related video.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...ead/lead5.html
Published: Friday | November 25, 2011
Collie Allen (left) and Errol Buckles are both long-time residents of Mountain View Avenue in St Andrew. Buckles is from a section of the area that supports the People's National Party, while Allen's area is Jamaica Labour Party territory. -Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer
by Robert Lalah, Assistant Editor - Features
Collie Allen, a lifelong resident of Mountain View Avenue in St Andrew, walked up to the corner of Jarrett Lane in the area early yesterday morning. An orange flag was hanging from a utility pole at the entrance to the lane. In an election period, that orange flag means only one thing - you are entering People's National Party (PNP) territory. Allen is well known around Mountain View Avenue as a supporter of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). He stood there for a second, puffed on a cigarette, then calmly entered the lane.
"You know, one time this wouldn't have been possible," he said. "Not in an election period."
Allen is 55 years old and has lived at Mountain View Avenue all his life. He said that in the past, the period leading up to general elections would have almost certainly been marked by violence. About a month before the 2007 elections, two women were shot and injured by gunmen in the area - a crime deemed politically motivated.
"Things are different this time around though," said Allen. "Mountain View Avenue has moved beyond the violence. We've become wiser than that."
Dealing with love
As Allen walked up Jarrett Lane, men from the community greeted him heartily. "Glad to see you, man! Come right in. Is love we dealing wid," shouted one dreadlocked man. Others waved hello.
A group of men standing next to a rusty zinc fence said Allen's assessment was correct.
"We really move away from that now," one of the men said. "We are on the PNP side and it don't matter if somebody want to vote for JLP. Everybody is free to do what dem want."
Green and orange flags were hanging all across Mountain View Avenue yesterday, showing the political alignment of the various lanes and streets.
"Even the flags show how much the community has changed," said Allen.
Men from the community nailed the flags to utility poles just after midday last week Saturday. It's an act that many frown upon, including Political Ombudsman Herro Blair, who has often called for their removal. But Allen and others say the flags at Mountain View Avenue are symbols of peace.
"It shows how free we are to express our political feelings," said Allen.
"One time people used to have to hide and hang up the flags under the cover of night. If anyone from the other side caught you doing it, is surely gunshot," he said.
"But we hang the flags together this year in bright daylight. Today, I stand up under my green flag and you stand up across the road under your red flag and we just wave and say hello," Allen said, smiling.
"We realise that political violence only benefit the undertaker and the lawyer. We not into that anymore. People used to say Mountain View bad, but everybody can learn and grow. Now, for this election, we going to be the example to the rest of the country. We going to show how decent people approach elections."
robert.lalah@gleanerjm.com
Log on to www.jamaica-gleaner.com/videos to see related video.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...ead/lead5.html
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