By Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer
Albert
ROMAN Catholic priest, Monsignor Richard
Albert, has renewed his call for Jamaican police to be trained as social workers and placed in some of the country's hardened communities.
He says this will help rehabilitate misguided youth and end the influence of dons.
"I'd like to see 300 policemen and women trained as social workers and be assigned, in their uniforms, to these areas full time," said Monsignor Albert. "They would work along with me and others, listening to the people who need help. In the beginning, they're gonna be shunned, then slowly but surely the community will turn to them."
FELL ON DEAF EARS
Monsignor Albert, who was speaking at the Gleaner Editors' Forum on Tuesday, says he first made this suggestion some time ago but it fell on deaf ears: "People laughed at me," he said.
With the don's grip on these communities tightening, he believes it is time for government and the police to
reconsider his proposal.
"What we have in these communities are modern-day warlords. You want to see the lines of people in Spanish Town who wait to see him (the don) for a pair of shoes, or the funeral that's coming up, or medicine for Grandma," said Monsignor Albert. "The influence of area leaders and dons have on a community is like a two-edged sword they can be gentle and compassionate but yet very ruthless."
WIDESPREAD REHABILITATION
To help bring stability to some of Kingston's violent enclaves, the Jamaica Constabulary Force has erected posts in areas that were the scene of multiple homicides, like Payne Lands and 100 Lane. These temporary stations were welcomed by residents who called on authorities to extend their stay when their assignment ended.
Once the police are enhanced with the skills of a social worker, Monsignor Albert says he is confident there will be wide-spread rehabilitation throughout Jamaica's inner cities.
"It's going to take massive compulsory education and huge social intervention in the lives of these communities that is going to slowly turn this thing around," he said. "Look, you've got 81 zinc communities in Spanish Town alone. Those communities are almost self-sufficient in a very limited degree, and it's the poor killing the poor."
A native of The Bronx in New York City, Monsignor Albert came to Jamaica in 1976 and has worked in impoverished communities, starting in St. Catherine where he spent seven years.
He was next assigned to the areas of Seaview Gardens, Riverton City and Bay Farm Road before moving on after 14 years to the Stella Maris Church from where he monitored the Shortwood Road and Grants Pen communities.
He was re-assigned to St. Catherine in January.
