JONES

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

IT WAS a much calmer day for staff and students at the Denham Town Primary School yesterday, two days after an alleged gunfight between police and gunmen in west Kingston sent residents scurrying to safety.

As the more than 1,000 students settled in, their principal, Everton Jones, was busy overseeing counselling sessions for the traumatised. It is a role Mr. Jones is used to, having experienced many rounds of violence during his 35 years at the school.

"I can recall all of them (violent incidents) and it has never been as bad," Mr. Jones told The Gleaner. "This time the school was surrounded, and the intensity of the shooting was awful."

Mr. Jones, 56, said he first heard gunfire shortly before 11:00 a.m. It continued for almost three hours before stability was restored, with police reporting that two men were killed during the exchange.

Residents protested the police action throughout west Kingston, with several schools in the area forced to be closed.

No one was injured at Denham Town Primary; nor was any damage done to the school compound. But Mr. Jones said it would take some time before students, especially, can focus on studying.

He noted that each time there was an outburst of violence in west Kingston, the students were affected.

"That's the worst thing, the loss of time we have to make up," he said. "Each time we lose up to 30 days and this causes us to lose ground to the other schools."

Mr. Jones blamed persistent violence for Denham Town Primary's below-par showing in the former Common Entrance and the current GSAT exams. He said only 10 per cent of students who do these exams go on into schools outside of west Kingston; others are placed in Denham Town High School and nearby Tivoli Gardens Comprehensive High School.

Triggered by political division

Gang warfare, triggered by political division in west Kingston and neighbouring constituencies of South St. Andrew and South West St. Andrew, was in full cry when Everton Jones came to Denham Town Primary from All Saints All-Age School, in 1974.

Originally from Nain, in St. Elizabeth, he attended Meadowbrook High School, in upper St. Andrew. He was familiar with West Kingston having worked in the community as a clerk at the Kingston, and St. Andrew Corporation, shortly after graduating from Mico Teachers' College (now MICO University College).

Although most of Mr. Jones' time at Denham Town has been marred by crime synonymous with inner-city Jamaica, he said leaving Denham Town Primary had never entered his mind.

"I've been here too long," he said, "and most of all the people trust me."