CONTROVERSY CENTRES on the shooting death of two men on Thursday night at the McCauley All-Age School, Spanish Town, St. Catherine, while a JLP South St. Catherine constituency meeting was in progress.
They have been identified as 29-year-old Samuel Walters also called 'Lion' of Windsor Road, Spanish Town and Oneil Smith, 25, whose address has not been ascertained.
The latest killings pushed the murder toll in the first 11 days of the new year to 33, according to figures provided by the Constabulary Communications Network (CCN).
"It definitely looks that way (like politics), from all indications," Derrick Smith, the JLP Spokesman on National Security told The Gleaner yesterday about the killings. He confirmed that the shootings took place during a constituency meeting at the school. The meeting was being chaired by Dr. Errol Williamson, JLP caretaker/candidate for South St. Catherine.
The seat is currently held by Fitz Jackson of the governing People's National Party. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.
"He (Dr. Williamson) was at a meeting with the party workers and it (the shooting) took place right there on the school compound. That meeting was still in progress when the shooting took place," Mr. Smith said.
Insisting that the killings were politically motivated and with a General Election likely before year-end, the JLP's Operations Council issued a statement yesterday calling for an election peace plan.
At the same time, the party expressed its sympathies to the families of the three victims, Glendon Joseph who was shot and killed in Central Manchester early Thursday morning being the other.
Central Manchester MP John Junor has dismissed the charge that Joseph's killing was political.
According to the JLP, the attacks represent the "continuation of a military solution to harm and kill JLP supporters in a desperate and dangerous attempt to weaken JLP support for the upcoming General Election".
The Opposition called on the PNP to follow its lead in publicly declaring its opposition to political violence.
The proposed plan would involve a widespread denunciation of political violence by all political parties, the private sector, the Church, the media, trade unions and all responsible and well-thinking Jamaicans the JLP said.
Among those killed in the last 48 hours are 16-year-old Jenise Fiddler of Johnson district, Spring Mountain, St. James. Reports from the CCN are that the girl was at home with her common-law husband yesterday when three armed men kicked open the door to their house around 2:30 a.m. The men opened fire hitting Fiddler in the head and her companion in the buttocks and leg. Fiddler died on the spot while her companion was taken to hospital where he was admitted in stable condition.
Twenty-seven-year-old Desmond Gashaw, also called 'Desi' of Goodwin Park Road, Kingston was shot and killed by unknown assailants Thursday night. He was gunned down at Hannah Street, Allman Town, Kingston.
And police Corporal Errol Palmer was shot and injured by gunmen at his home in Mount Salem, St. James yesterday morning. He is attached to the Falmouth police station. Corporal Palmer reportedly drove home in his private motor car around 1:00 a.m. when he was pounced upon by three men armed with guns. They opened fire hitting the policeman in the chest and neck before making their escape in a waiting motor car. The injured Corporal has been admitted to hospital in a stable condition.
Meantime, three of four men, including a 16-year-old juvenile, who were detained in connection with the January 3 slaying of seven persons at 100 Lane, off Red Hills Road, were formally charged yesterday. Charged with murder, arson and illegal possession of firearm and ammunition are a 16-year-old youth, Donovan Bryan, 22, also called 'Shabba' and Anthony Brown, 34, also called 'Sixteen,' all of Parke Lane, Kingston 19.
