Adrian Frater & Claudine Housen, Staff Reporters
Deputy Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Horace Chang (left), and Member of Parliament for West Central St. James, Clive Mullings (second left), with JLP supporters in Sam Sharpe Square yesterday. - PHOTO BY CLAUDINE HOUSEN
WESTERN BUREAU:
DESPITE THE chaos and disorder that characterised yesterday's protest action across western Jamaica, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Deputy Leader Horace Chang expressed satisfaction with the level of support garnered across the region.
"From what I have seen in Montego Bay, we have had an excellent day from a demonstration point of view," said Dr. Chang. "There were some activities, yes, that were not well within the law, but you are dealing with a huge innercity like Montego Bay and (given) the tradition in Jamaica of blocking roads in demonstrations, I think it went well."
However, it was not all smooth sailing for the JLP as Dennis Meadows, a member of the party's Standing Committee and one of its most outspoken functionaries in western Jamaica, was detained by the police for just over four hours. He was subsequently released without charge.
"I was on Barnett Street when the police accosted me and asked me to accompany them to the Freeport Police Station," said Mr. Meadows. "The fact that I was released without charge is perhaps the clearest indication that I did not do anything wrong."
The protest action in western Jamaica started from as early as 3:00 a.m. with reports of major mobilisation of JLP support in the Glendevon area of Montego Bay. There were also reports of gunfire echoing across several communities in that general area.
When The Gleaner visited Glendevon at daybreak, the streets were littered with garbage and old furniture as militant residents, seemingly unconcerned about the strong police presence, screamed disparaging remarks about the Government.
