A MEETING of political leaders representing the constituencies of St. Andrew Eastern and South Eastern and Kingston Eastern and Port Royal agreed yesterday on proposals aimed at reducing tension in the lower Mountain View Avenue area.
Co-chairmen of the meeting, Councillor Desmond McKenzie, chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party's Area One, and Paul Burke, chairman of the People's National Party's Region Three, said after the meeting which lasted over three hours, that it was "extremely frank in its discussions and unbelievably friendly."
Councillor McKenzie said the proposals would seek, in the short-term, to create a ceasefire between the warring communities and for them to work together, with the help of state agencies like Metropolitan Parks and Markets (MPM). The dialogue would continue to maintain the peace within the areas of Hampstead (Back Bush), Saunders and Jarrett lanes in St. Andrew Eastern, Jacques Road and Vineyard Town in St. Andrew South Eastern and Burgher Gully in Kingston Eastern and Port Royal, over the longer term.
A joint statement from the co-chairmen said that consensus was reached on the following points:
That the vast majority of residents genuinely desire an end to the violence and a lasting peace, but that a handful of "fringe elements" were pursuing their own violent and criminal agenda.
That political leaders and community representatives will meet with the communities and make yet another appeal for the immediate cessation of all violent and intimidatory acts.
That the Members of Parliament-elect and other recent candidates, co-ordinated by Maxine Henry-Wilson, will meet to discuss a collective tour of the communities, as soon as the violence has ceased and a measure of calm has returned to the wider Mountain View community. The group will also commence discussions on the basics of a development plan for the Mountain View Area, which would involve the active participation of the various communities.
A follow-up meeting will be held next week Thursday, to review the efforts at maintaining peace and look at steps to consolidate the peace, including the establishment of a permanent broad-based community mechanism to promote open communication, social integration, and development of the Mountain View communities.
Among the political leaders participating in yesterday's discussion were Mrs. Henry-Wilson and Dr. St. Auburn Bartlett, Members of Parliament-elect for St. Andrew South Eastern and Eastern, respectively; Colin Campbell, PNP representative for St. Andrew Eastern; Phillip Henriques, JLP representative for St. Andrew South Eastern; Councillor Andrew Swaby (Vineyard Town); Councillor Angela Brown (Norman Gardens); Collie Allen, JLP caretaker for Vineyard Town; and Horace Levy, a member of the Peace Management Initiative.
