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Observer EDITORIAL: This one's for you, Minister Chang
Friday, September 21, 2007
Quite frankly we are tired of, and saddened by the bouts of intermittent fury that keep erupting in the volatile Flankers community in St James. The latest round of rioting - occasioned by the police shooting of 29-year-old Mr Peter 'Ravers' Johnson- illustrates yet another sad case in point.
According to the back page lead in yesterday's edition of our sister title, the Observer West, there are two conflicting versions of the circumstances which led to the death of Mr Johnson, who the police say had been linked to several instances of criminal activity, including a double murder.
This space is not about to comment on either of them.
Suffice it to say that the regrettable incident highlights once again the need for sustainable social intervention in communities like Flankers, which are so susceptible to violence.
On that note we would like - with respect - to ask the relevant authorities, namely Dr Horace Chang, the new minister of water and housing, and ironically the member of parliament for North West St James where Flankers is located, to kick-start the multi-million-dollar deal that the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) signed with the community in May of this year.
The deal, which is being funded through a grant and loan from the Japanese Government and the World Bank, is supposed to see US$25 million being spent to improve infrastructure and social services in 14 inner-city communities across the island, including Flankers.
We're not saying that the deal will magically eradicate all the social ills that affect Flankers, and indeed the rest of Jamaica. However, we believe that with the right amount of effort being pumped into police/community relations, things may become a little better than they currently are.
Dr Chang and several JSIF representatives said as much at the signing ceremony in May.
In fact, as we recall it, they - particularly Dr Chang - said much more.
"This is no monkey money. This could be very big if we do things properly," they said.
So now, Dr Chang has his chance - as minister with direct responsibility for the troubling portfolio of housing - to put systems in place to ensure that the funds are mobilised in a tangible way that will encourage a better environment for the residents of Flankers.
Let's see if he will be able to put the money - which is already there for the taking - where his mouth was in May.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Quite frankly we are tired of, and saddened by the bouts of intermittent fury that keep erupting in the volatile Flankers community in St James. The latest round of rioting - occasioned by the police shooting of 29-year-old Mr Peter 'Ravers' Johnson- illustrates yet another sad case in point.
According to the back page lead in yesterday's edition of our sister title, the Observer West, there are two conflicting versions of the circumstances which led to the death of Mr Johnson, who the police say had been linked to several instances of criminal activity, including a double murder.
This space is not about to comment on either of them.
Suffice it to say that the regrettable incident highlights once again the need for sustainable social intervention in communities like Flankers, which are so susceptible to violence.
On that note we would like - with respect - to ask the relevant authorities, namely Dr Horace Chang, the new minister of water and housing, and ironically the member of parliament for North West St James where Flankers is located, to kick-start the multi-million-dollar deal that the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) signed with the community in May of this year.
The deal, which is being funded through a grant and loan from the Japanese Government and the World Bank, is supposed to see US$25 million being spent to improve infrastructure and social services in 14 inner-city communities across the island, including Flankers.
We're not saying that the deal will magically eradicate all the social ills that affect Flankers, and indeed the rest of Jamaica. However, we believe that with the right amount of effort being pumped into police/community relations, things may become a little better than they currently are.
Dr Chang and several JSIF representatives said as much at the signing ceremony in May.
In fact, as we recall it, they - particularly Dr Chang - said much more.
"This is no monkey money. This could be very big if we do things properly," they said.
So now, Dr Chang has his chance - as minister with direct responsibility for the troubling portfolio of housing - to put systems in place to ensure that the funds are mobilised in a tangible way that will encourage a better environment for the residents of Flankers.
Let's see if he will be able to put the money - which is already there for the taking - where his mouth was in May.
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