Robert Lalah, Sunday Gleaner Reporter
It's six o;clock on a weekday morning and the small community of March Pen Road in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, is slowly coming to life. Children dressed in school uniforms are making their way quickly to the highway to get transportation to school. A few are standing under a giant tree at the entrance of the community.
A man bursts into laughter as he chats with a woman at the door of a small shop. All is peaceful. But life in March Pen Road, which comprises areas like Big Tree, Africa and Casha Valley, wasn't always like this.
In fact, I remember my previous visit to the community a few months ago when an hour-long gunbattle had just taken place between gunmen and the police. Back then, the residents were at war with each other and whenever the police intervened, it was the community against the police.
I remember clearly, a shopkeeper crying on my shoulder, complaining that she was running out of food and needed to get to Kingston to buy more goods. But the woman wasn't being allowed to leave. The men who controlled access to and from the community at the time threatened to kill anyone from her side of March Pen Road who tried to leave.
Sporadic gunfire
The nights were almost always filled with fear for residents. Sporadic gunfire in the twilight hours became the norm.
In July this year, however, things changed drastically, when the residents from the three sections of the community (top, middle and bottom March Pen) that for years had been at war, came together and declared that they had had enough of the violence and were ready to call a permanent ceasefire.
The three sections are known for being tied to opposing political parties. With the help of the Social Development Commission (SDC) and the police, the residents have since put on a number of events as one united community, and the peace has been holding.
But with talk of an election in the air, the spotlight has again been thrust upon the community in Spanish Town. What will happen to the peace? Will it hold?
David Campbell, described by a senior police officer as an influential community leader, says that there is little doubt that the peace will hold.
According to him, residents will continue to hold their personal political views and perhaps there will even be a few arguments, but there will be no physical clashes.
This seemed to be the common sentiment among residents when I revisited the community recently. The atmosphere was a complete turnaround from the last time I was there. Trudy Taylorwas on her way to school. I asked her how she was managing her studies this year. "It much better since the peace treaty sign. No gunshot nah buss a night time again, so mi can study and nuh haffi fret," she said.
Played football together
I met Donovan Williamsat a small grocery shop. He participated in a recent football competition that for the first time had residents from all three sections of the community playing on the same team.
"No politician can come mash up this. Everybody see the peace and see that it much better than the war. We done decide that no matter what happen with the politics, the peace is here to stay," he said.
One of Donovan's teammates, who lives in a different part of the community, joined us. "Look here man. The youth dem a get wise now. No more lies and false promises. Is just love a run things dis year," he said.
Now whether the residents' expectations are realistic or a just a bit too ambitious is yet to be seen, but so far, they're holding firm to their pledge of turning their lives and their community around. It's now up to the politicians to do their part.
Name changed.
Grants Pen - A test for community policing
Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter
The community leader, a woman and a youth had been taken into Grants Pen model community police station on Wednesday night following the 'painting up' of Shortwood Lane.
Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament for North East St. Andrew Delroy Chuck, and successive People's National Party (PNP) caretakers have insisted over the years that no political graffiti and party colours be painted in the communities. In this latest incident, most of the kerbstone edges of the well-kept traditionally JLP-affiliated Shortwood Lane had been painted alternately red and yellow.
That night, after the police intervened, the road was blocked at either end while the uptown traffic flow on Shortwood Road was held up by a roadblock hastily assembled at both ends of the lane and spilling out from the north end of the lane. "It nah done yet," said one youth as he continued his work, flinging blocks onto the road.
Lifelong resident and community leader, Evan 'Mansaw' Powell and others had been preparing the lane for a memorial party to be held the following Saturday for his nine-year-old daughter who died last year. The choice of the colours meant nothing, he said on Thursday night, having been released early that morning, only that they were traffic colours, intended to persuade motorists to slow down as they sped down the lane.
Mr. Powell, supported by residents, claimed that police had roughed him up and attempted to force him into the car. Meanwhile, with the community converging on the scene, both sides agreed that he should be allowed to walk to the station, which he did, accompanied by residents.
It was beautification
Residents claim that the MP had reported it because they saw him drive down the lane earlier. He had just attended a meeting at the station, which The Sunday Gleaner had reached as he was leaving.
Mr. Chuck acknowledged driving down the lane, but denied reporting what he saw, which he acknowledged as beautification, a claim supported by station commander, Inspector Michael Simpson, who said that the information had come from someone outside the community who had driven down the lane.
The meeting was the third such by the Police Civic Committee, this time to establish a steering committee chaired by businessman Ferris Zaidie who, as chair for the whole Area Four Civic committee, is helping to kick-start similar groups elsewhere on the island. Inside the community meeting room, one of many public facilities at the station, the meeting shared much of the confidence that civic groups in the community seem to share.
An hour later, outside, the mood became very different. "It was thanks to God," said local Justice of the Peace and youth advocate Bryan Jacas, who was there that night, that Mr. Powell was released early the following morning, preventing further disturbance.
Police negotiated with residents to lift the roadblocks in return for the release of Mr. Powell and two others. This they did.
"It was beautification," acknowledged the inspector. The only confusion remains what Mr. Powell and the two others have been charged for. He said that up to now a charge has not been made - irregular, given that he and the three others were bailed without first being charged, as required in law.
"This has been the first flare-up since we've been here (since the station opened in January)," said the inspector, regretting the incident. The station, he reminded, remained a pilot project with community policing still new within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
Election around the corner
Residents are keeping faith that the peace, which has held since the unsolved shooting death of 17-year-old Shaneal Raffington in July last year, will hold when as JP Bryan Jacas terms it "the silly season" of election is gradually taking hold in the community.
There is an obvious concern that potential election violence could reverse the gains brought by the pilot project led by the American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica (AMCHAM) which recruited the Washington-based Police Executive Forum, to implement a community policing strategy.
This, of course, included the construction of the model police station at 'AMCHAM Place' on the site of the old Edna Manley Health Clinic.
The clinic has been rebuilt on the site while inside the station is an Internet café, post office, Paymaster outlet, community meeting room and a National Commercial Bank automated teller machine.
However, residents played down the significance of the election, many displaying an open lack of interest in the political process.
In the PNP area of Old England, a gully bank community running parallel with the rest of Grants Pen but separated by a part of Acadia, three residents seemed to sum up much of the feelings.
"There is a possibility that it can be violent, there is a possibility that it can be calm," shrugged one Rastafarian.
Speaking from her home, a woman wearing a T-shirt with JLP leader Bruce Golding's image, who said she voted JLP in the last election would not be voting for either party this time, worried about communities switching political allegiance. "I feel say it can bring back violence, it might because of the switching an' all a dat," she said.
Peace can be fragile
Her elderly male neighbour was even less enthusiastic about ticking a box for one of the candidates on election day. "Anyway they have mi and mi 'X,' they haffi pay mi money! Nothing less than $50 grand becau' I decide I nah make more 'X'!" he protested. A group of young men in the PNP area of Top Gully or 'Vietnam' with whom the reporter spoke said they would hold their truce with their rivals. But as they reminded, peace can be fragile.
"We need that more than anything else an' if dem willing to hold, we hold it," said one. But added another, "One man pull out his gun an' the next man pull out his gun."
"But none of dem incidents happen already, but tru the youts reason wid one another so it never bruk out so the peace nice," added another in Morgan Lane.
This was a view shared by young men in JLP areas. However, on both sides of the communities they reported threats had been made to move on their territory by the other.
"Although we haven't been finding the guns they really have been locking them down," said a relieved Inspector Simpson.
But, warned Omar Frith, manager of the Stella Maris Foundation Centre on Grants Pen Road, "The civic community cannot become complacent because, despite the peace, more has to be done to engage the young men who remain angry at police, political representation and wider society."
