Portmore Mayor George Lee has refused to apologise for claiming illegal guns were being stockpiled within at least one dvision in the municipality.

Mr. Lee told The Gleaner this week that he was absolutely sure of what he had said and that other leaders were aware of the vast number of guns based in the St. Catherine community.

"Everybody and the leaders need to work together to stem the guns coming into the community," said Mayor Lee. "If we don't, then Portmore is going to become a crime-riddled community, similar to what is happening now in St. James."

Several areas affected

He added: "It is not concentrated to one area, but several areas of the division are getting more and more guns."

On Saturday night, five men were shot, two fatally, by gunmen, in Waterford, in Portmore.

Dead are Raynor 'Bookie' Hunter, 31, and Andrew 'Bossie' Higgings, also 31. Injured were three men aged 26, 51 and 58 all of Waterford addresses.

Incident

The Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) reported that, about 11:40 p.m., a group of men were playing dominoes along the roadway.

During the game the men were approached by two gunmen. The armed assailants immediately opened fire hitting five persons. The injured persons were taken to hospital where Hunter and Higgins were pronounced dead.

Since the Portmore Mayor first claimed to know of weapons being stockpiled, residents of the Naggo Head division have demonstrated, demanding that he retract the statement which they believe was directed at their community.