By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterCOMMUNITY 'DONS' affiliated to the rival gun gangs from the hot spots of Mountain View Avenue in St. Andrew, shook hands, hugged and greet each other, as a gesture of peace during a special meeting held on Monday in the affected areas.
"I will not confirm nor deny," the Chairman of the Peace Management Initiative (PMI), Bishop Herro Blair, told The Gleaner. He was at the meeting with the representatives with PMI yesterday.
Among the issues discussed were plans to restore normalcy to the area and putting a stop to the bloodshed and killing.
UNEMPLOYED
The issue of jobs for the unemployed were also raised at the meeting, which is scheduled to continue on Monday. Efforts will be made for those fearful residents who have fled the community, to return and live comfortably again.
The meeting was called less than 24-hours after the step-son of a prominent area leader from Jacques Road was shot and injured along Deanery Road, near Miriam Avenue.
At present, sections of the troubled Mountain View Avenue community remain under curfew. Yesterday, scores of police personnel under the watchful eyes of Senior Superintendent Donald Pusey, were conducting a cordon and search operation in the area.
The operation coincides with snap raids and the interrogation of several residents in the affected areas. But reports reaching The Gleaner are that a police corporal and his family became the latest victims to flee the area on the weekend.
This was confirmed by a senior officer manning the situation in Area 4. The officer said the corporal, who was living in the First Avenue, Robert Avenue area, was threatened and accused of being a supporter of one of the two political parties.
On Monday he was assisted out by several colleagues on operation in the area.
"This is a matter I will be pursuing," said Acting Senior Superintendent Calvin Benjamin, the Crime officer for Area 4.
