Mark Wignall | Gregory Park – decay in real time

In August of last year after a block of eight houses on Walkers Avenue in the troubled community of Gregory Park was set afire by armed criminals, even as the ashes were still warm, the prime minister visited, and the opposition leader did so too. The local government minister and the MP had no intention on missing out on such a politically rich photo op.

Late last week, my main contact in the area called me after another flare-up of violence and said, “Since that time, apart from some small packets of food items, not even a half sheet of zinc has been provided for these desperately poor people, to help them in starting back their lives.”

Coming up to the local government elections, the usual empty promises were made from both sides of the political fence. ‘The long and the short of it is that some of the burnt-out victims are still living under plastic sheets.’

Another contact said, “Every December, the don for that community keeps his birthday bash. Plenty food, food can’t done, plenty liquor, liquor can’t done, sound stage almost like Sting. Giveaway and gifts for the children. Last time, because the area was in a SOE, it was formally cut off at 8:30 but in reality it was allowed to continue.

“The don uses his influence to groom young men into criminal activity and to cement loyalty to him. And, would you believe it, the don has been living abroad for many years now but he uses his financial influence to maintain control over the area.”

Think of how easy it would be to order local hits from abroad when the local thugs are fully in thrall to the don abroad.

Months ago, I spoke to a few elders from the area and they charted a 10-year fix for the troubled area of Gregory Park and its use as a template for fixing garrison communities. “At the police college, the brightest and best graduates must be selected for specialist training and hands-on applications in these troubled communities.

“And even as you are using them in these communities for dispute resolution, the ability to deal with family tension and spot child abuse before it gets out of hand, there is really nothing wrong with having the SWAT like police units to deal with criminals with baked-in homicidal, evil ways.”

HIDE GUNS

As usual, the gunmen do not keep their guns with them. They hide them in places where they can see the places from their bedroom windows. Thus, one way to reduce that is to clean up the debris in the communities, which also includes regular debushing.

“The communities must be cleaned up. Many of these communities are heavily overgrown. Some of those areas have been so neglected that cars have to turn on lights on some roads in the day because of the heavy canopy cover from the large trees. The next thing is rodent control. The place is heavily infested and huge swarms of mosquitoes descend on the communities from dusk to dawn.

“The people need a sense of belonging. It’s also important to work on the housing stock. What some of those people are now living in is “rattacastle”. Rats are crawling over them as they sleep at nights.

“As government raids the NHT at various times, even a .025 per cent of those huge sums could be used to provide them with a few food for the poor-style houses. As it is now, there is a huge trust deficit between the political authorities and these desperately poor people.”

My sources in the area tell me that the politicians and some policemen know of the arrangement between the don and the community. But, mum is the word. No surprise there.

WINSTON ENNIS IS A COMEDIAN

Having spent years visiting Grants Pen in North East St Andrew, especially in the years when sensible people would have been advised to stay away, I am certain that I would have met Winston Ennis, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor for the Waterloo division. But I can’t be quite sure now.

I know for certain that I have never met his colleague Joy Cotterel, JLP councillor of the Barbican division. Whenever I am speaking politics with certain people in the Grants Pen area, they refer to her in terms of adoration as ‘Baby Joy’.

In the wake of the local government elections where the JLP did not fare as well as it expected to and lost the big prize, control of the KSAMC, green feathers were ruffled. A few days ago, Ennis’ voice announced in no uncertain fashion, “I just want you all to know that I have walked away from the Jamaica Labour Party. I have to protect my dignity, I have to protect my values and I have to protect my family.

“The way I have been treated and disrespected, I am not having any more of it and I have walked away. So officially I am independent.”

There is nothing about that message which is ambiguous. The public would have had suspicions especially about protecting his family. In short time Mr Ennis did a reversal and in quite unconvincing terms said that the voice clip was ‘leaked’ from a WhatsApp group.

Mr Ennis, following on the craziness from the results of the local government elections, we needed this bit of laughter. Could it be that Mr Ennis was in the heat of unfavourable political horse trading and he decided to up his ante. And then the gentleman wanted us to believe that he was surprised that personal discussions were leaked to the public.

Ennis ought to know that a few of us have long aged past 18 years old. First, if any of us are that naive to buy into the disingenuous story told to us by Mr Ennis, it would mean that his fellow Labourites are sabotaging him. While I can’t rule that out, I find it hard to buy what Ennis is trying to sell to the public.

My belief is that nothing was leaked apart from Ennis flying a lopsided kite to get his way, whatever it was. But, again, thanks for the laugh, bro.

Mark Wignall is a political and public affairs analyst. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and mawigsr@gmail.com.