WESTERN BUREAU:
From its status as a suburban residential neighbourhood vehicled by skilled artisans and small farmers in St. James a decade ago, Granville is fast becoming a haven for criminality.
Located three miles west of Montego Bay, the area, which encompasses Pitfour, Fuller and Retirement, to date accounts for at least 17 of the 176 murders in St. James since January.
"We need to put some mitigating measures in place, the excuse of unemployed hopeless youths is not an excuse," said one resident who requested anonymity. "There is a breakdown in the social fabric."
The resident added: "It is one the fastest-growing corridors from Bogue and there is lack of development control in the area that leads to undocumented residents."
Some 34 murders have occurred in the crime hotbed of Norwood, followed by Salt Spring with 28 and Granville's 17. The other areas of interest are Glendevon with 15, downtown Montego Bay 15 and 12 in Flankers.
Sergeant Fitz Williams, sub-officer in charge of the Granville Police Station, has disclosed that the area has 24 of 136 shootings and 23 of the 164 reported robberies across the parish.
Wish for peace
The community was the scene of the November 18 massacre of four members of a family in Retirement district by gunmen. Three other members of that family were also wounded in that incident.
"As we enter into this festive season, our sincere wish is that you have a peaceful, merry and a very holy Christmas," the policeman stated at a tree lighting ceremony in the community on Wednesday evening.
Businessman Mark Kerr-Jarrett believes that the main contributing factor to Granville's crime increase is unemployment, reiterating his proposal for a mandatory national service as one of the revolutionary measures to address the country's worrying crime situation.
The chairman of the St. James Parish Development Committee says the Government should merge the National Youth Service and the Jamaica Defence Force, making them an army corps of engineers.
"Use them to replace, and if not, seriously augment the National Works Agency," he said. "Make it mandatory that all men and women ages 18-25 who are not employed or in tertiary education to give two to three years' service in the military."
