THE TROUBLED district of Norwood in St. James is one of three rural communities which will get special attention from the National Summer Employment Programme (NESP), which was officially launched Tuesday at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston.
The Reverend Adinhair Jones, executive director of the National Youth Service, which organises the annual programme, told The Gleaner that Pagee in St. Mary and a district in St. Elizabeth are the other areas where NESP students will be involved with literacy improvement.
"We are coming up with a special programme for Norwood to assist students, especially the ones who are needy," said Rev. Jones. "We are talking with Dr. (Opposition Member of Parlia-ment Horace Chang) to see how best they can be served."
Rev. Jones did not say how many students will be sent to Norwood, but noted that the project will begin in August shortly after Independence celebrations.
Norwood has been hit by bouts of gang violence since the start of the year. On the morning of July 4, five persons were murdered there, allegedly by members of the Stone Crusher Gang.
Three members of the gang have since been arrested and charged by police with five counts of murder.
