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BY GARFIELD MYERS Editor-at-Large South/Central Bureau myersg@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, December 09, 2011
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — The memory of a drive-by shooting in Georges Valley, Manchester, just over four years ago, which left four people dead and a People's National Party (PNP) campaign car riddled with bullets, hung heavy at a party rally in the community late Wednesday.
Central Manchester member of parliament and PNP candidate for the December 29 election Peter Bunting, as well as former PNP Cabinet minister John Junor, who was MP for 18 years leading up to 2007, warned Comrades to be on their guard to prevent any repeat of the 2007 atrocity described by Bunting as "political terrorism".
Manchester businessman Kenneth ‘Skeng Don’ Black (centre in yellow) with Comrades at a PNP rally at Georges Valley, Manchester on Wednesday night. (Photo: Gregory Bennett)
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Claiming that the tragedy of four years ago — less than three days before the September 3, 2007 election — was perpetrated by people from "outside", Junor urged Comrades to alert the police to the presence of "strangers". Both he and Bunting claimed they were seeing disturbing "signs" in the current political campaign reminiscent of the lead-up to the August 31, 2007 shooting.
Three women were among the four patrons killed at a bar and grocery, located about 80 metres away from Wednesday night's meeting. The marked, orange-coloured campaign car was parked in front of the bar and grocery.
"I want to warn, when you see those strangers in your community, rely on the police, they are our protectors, call them, call us, let us know where they (strangers) are. We do not want them in Manchester, keep them in Spanish Town, in Tivoli, keep them down in the Walk; we don't want them here," Junor said.
Bunting is being challenged in Central Manchester by the high-profile former Director of Elections and former Commissioner of Customs Danville Walker representing the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Analysts are predicting that Central Manchester will be a "battleground" seat in the upcoming election. Political tension has already reached uncomfortable levels with a billboard promoting Walker's campaign being vandalised shortly after he officially announced his candidacy in early November.
Noting on Wednesday night that it was not "accidental" that the first PNP rally in Central Manchester since last Sunday's announcement of the election was in Georges Valley, Bunting told Comrades that his persistence in demanding the extradition of former West Kingston 'don' Christopher 'Dudus' Coke was linked to the 2007 shooting.
"The most painful and difficult experience of my political career ...had to do with that act of political terrorism in Georges Valley, when my campaign vehicle was showered with AK 47 bullets and four innocent young people were ripped to shreds by those high-powered weapons," said Bunting.
"I remember the Saturday morning having to face that community, the nine orphaned children left behind by the three mothers. I remember a young boy tugging at my shirt saying 'Peter B, Peter B, what happen? Why this happen?' So, Comrades, when you hear me get up in Parliament and talk bout the extradition of Christopher Coke, I want you to connect the two events, because what I was fighting for there was not just for what is right and just for Jamaica, but I was fighting for the lives lost in Georges Valley that painful night," he said.
Bunting said the PNP was "proud of the courage of the people who came out and voted and voted and voted and voted and refused to be intimidated by that act of political terrorism".
Junor recalled that he "froze" when he heard the news of the shooting on that Friday night four years ago, because he had seen the signs and had warned JLP representatives that there were "some strange faces, be careful what you are doing..."
He rejected what he said were some opinions being aired on the electronic media that the 'Valley' shooting had not being politically motivated. "I know what that was. I know what that was: cold-blooded murder intended to intimidate the community of 'Valley', said Junor.
He voiced "alarm" at what he appeared to suggest were questionable reputations of individuals on the campaign trail with Walker.
Junor said he was also concerned at reports that a former "very close assistant" of Walker at the Electoral Office had been "seconded" from an insurance firm to the campaign in Central Manchester.
Using very strong language, Junor warned that there would be legal implications, leading to possible imprisonment, if the PNP finds reason to suspect impropriety in the conduct of the election in the constituency.
"I am warning him (Walker) ...and any of the electoral people, if there is any funniness inna dis constituency... we are watching you, we are watching you...," said Junor.
Wednesday night's rally also had a lighter side with the St Elizabeth campaign co-ordinator for the PNP, KD Knight, handing over a pair of pliers and a screwdriver to Bunting to "deal with Scrappy". 'Scrappy' is the tag given to Walker by the PNP following alleged missteps by the Customs Department in the export of scrap metal.
Wednesday night's rally was also noteworthy for the presence of long-standing PNP supporter and activist, Mandeville businessman Kenneth 'Skeng Don' Black. There have been persistent rumours in Manchester over recent days that Black had withdrawn support from the PNP.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1g2cFU9ZL
Friday, December 09, 2011
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — The memory of a drive-by shooting in Georges Valley, Manchester, just over four years ago, which left four people dead and a People's National Party (PNP) campaign car riddled with bullets, hung heavy at a party rally in the community late Wednesday.
Central Manchester member of parliament and PNP candidate for the December 29 election Peter Bunting, as well as former PNP Cabinet minister John Junor, who was MP for 18 years leading up to 2007, warned Comrades to be on their guard to prevent any repeat of the 2007 atrocity described by Bunting as "political terrorism".
Manchester businessman Kenneth ‘Skeng Don’ Black (centre in yellow) with Comrades at a PNP rally at Georges Valley, Manchester on Wednesday night. (Photo: Gregory Bennett)
1/1
Claiming that the tragedy of four years ago — less than three days before the September 3, 2007 election — was perpetrated by people from "outside", Junor urged Comrades to alert the police to the presence of "strangers". Both he and Bunting claimed they were seeing disturbing "signs" in the current political campaign reminiscent of the lead-up to the August 31, 2007 shooting.
Three women were among the four patrons killed at a bar and grocery, located about 80 metres away from Wednesday night's meeting. The marked, orange-coloured campaign car was parked in front of the bar and grocery.
"I want to warn, when you see those strangers in your community, rely on the police, they are our protectors, call them, call us, let us know where they (strangers) are. We do not want them in Manchester, keep them in Spanish Town, in Tivoli, keep them down in the Walk; we don't want them here," Junor said.
Bunting is being challenged in Central Manchester by the high-profile former Director of Elections and former Commissioner of Customs Danville Walker representing the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Analysts are predicting that Central Manchester will be a "battleground" seat in the upcoming election. Political tension has already reached uncomfortable levels with a billboard promoting Walker's campaign being vandalised shortly after he officially announced his candidacy in early November.
Noting on Wednesday night that it was not "accidental" that the first PNP rally in Central Manchester since last Sunday's announcement of the election was in Georges Valley, Bunting told Comrades that his persistence in demanding the extradition of former West Kingston 'don' Christopher 'Dudus' Coke was linked to the 2007 shooting.
"The most painful and difficult experience of my political career ...had to do with that act of political terrorism in Georges Valley, when my campaign vehicle was showered with AK 47 bullets and four innocent young people were ripped to shreds by those high-powered weapons," said Bunting.
"I remember the Saturday morning having to face that community, the nine orphaned children left behind by the three mothers. I remember a young boy tugging at my shirt saying 'Peter B, Peter B, what happen? Why this happen?' So, Comrades, when you hear me get up in Parliament and talk bout the extradition of Christopher Coke, I want you to connect the two events, because what I was fighting for there was not just for what is right and just for Jamaica, but I was fighting for the lives lost in Georges Valley that painful night," he said.
Bunting said the PNP was "proud of the courage of the people who came out and voted and voted and voted and voted and refused to be intimidated by that act of political terrorism".
Junor recalled that he "froze" when he heard the news of the shooting on that Friday night four years ago, because he had seen the signs and had warned JLP representatives that there were "some strange faces, be careful what you are doing..."
He rejected what he said were some opinions being aired on the electronic media that the 'Valley' shooting had not being politically motivated. "I know what that was. I know what that was: cold-blooded murder intended to intimidate the community of 'Valley', said Junor.
He voiced "alarm" at what he appeared to suggest were questionable reputations of individuals on the campaign trail with Walker.
Junor said he was also concerned at reports that a former "very close assistant" of Walker at the Electoral Office had been "seconded" from an insurance firm to the campaign in Central Manchester.
Using very strong language, Junor warned that there would be legal implications, leading to possible imprisonment, if the PNP finds reason to suspect impropriety in the conduct of the election in the constituency.
"I am warning him (Walker) ...and any of the electoral people, if there is any funniness inna dis constituency... we are watching you, we are watching you...," said Junor.
Wednesday night's rally also had a lighter side with the St Elizabeth campaign co-ordinator for the PNP, KD Knight, handing over a pair of pliers and a screwdriver to Bunting to "deal with Scrappy". 'Scrappy' is the tag given to Walker by the PNP following alleged missteps by the Customs Department in the export of scrap metal.
Wednesday night's rally was also noteworthy for the presence of long-standing PNP supporter and activist, Mandeville businessman Kenneth 'Skeng Don' Black. There have been persistent rumours in Manchester over recent days that Black had withdrawn support from the PNP.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1g2cFU9ZL
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