Burke says PNP committed to peace in the west

PAUL BURKE, chairman of the People's National Party (PNP) Region Three, said his party remained committed to a process of dialogue to end a spate of gun violence in Kingston's west end.

"The PNP is going to continue with talks at all levels to do everything to end the violence," he said yesterday in response to Monday night's shooting in Torrington Park, Kingston 5, which left two persons dead and two others nursing gunshot wounds.

Those killed were Remeke Demetri, 17, and Colbert Potts, 30, of Admiral Town. The injured persons are a 54-year-old woman and a 16-year-old man.

Mr. Burke said following the shooting, Member of Parliament Dr. Omar Davies and PNP chairman Bobby Pickersgill visited the area and appealed for calm. He said they also tried to dissuade the community of reprisals.

Reports from the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) are that at about 9:00 a.m. a white Toyota station wagon with five heavily armed men aboard, drove into the PNP stronghold. The men fired on a group of persons on Torrington Drive, hitting four of them. The injured ones were taken to hospital where Demetri and Potts were pronounced dead and the others treated.

In the meantime, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Edsell Scott, crime officer for Kingston Western Police Division, said yesterday the police had not established a motive for the shootings nor identified any suspects.

Last week, violence erupted when men from the JLP-controlled Denham Town, traded bullets with their counterparts from the PNP stronghold in Hannah Town. However, the police increased their presence in the area and restored calm within a day. Representatives from both parties have since invited the church to participate in on-going talks to end the violence.

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