Gangsters trigger Bickersteth exodus
Published:Wednesday | November 6, 2019 | 12:26 AMHopeton Bucknor/Gleaner Writer
Western Bureau:
At least 10 fearful families have recently fled the once-quiet community of Bickersteth in St James, which has had its reputation ravaged by gun-toting gangsters using the multimillion-dollar telemarketing scam to fuel their thirst for wealth and influence, leaving a bloody trail in their wake.
A bitter gang feud has triggered the latest evacuations after one man was killed and multiple persons left nursing gunshot recently, sending panic through the community.
The gangsters continued the onslaught early Sunday morning as they shot two young women through a window as they slept.
When The Gleaner visited the community yesterday, some residents were reduced to tears as they related hellish stories of heavily armed gangsters trading bullets in the once-peaceful district.
“The youth dem over Johnson Common and some from Camp Road come out a di crossroad inna war,” a resident told The Gleaner. “Last week, dem murder a youth down the road and shoot and injure another one. Now, Sunday morning, a di two woman dem attack.”
The residents say some 12 to 15 families have since packed up and left the community, showing our news team several houses recently vacated by persons fearing for their safety.
“Di people dem haffi a run weh because them get threat fi leave or else dem go dead,” noted another resident.
A military checkpoint nearby on the Montpelier main road as part of the parish’s state of emergency operations has done little to quell their fears. Nor has it been a deterrent to the thugs.
“Police and soldier caa help wi. This out a control. Look how close the security checkpoint deh yet the youth dem don’t fraid. Dem a run up and down inna the place wid gun like dem inna movie,” lamented a man who was gearing up to join the exodus.
A reliable police source told The Gleaner that the force is aware of the situation and has even assisted some of the families to move out. However, he also said the police’s hands are tied as the residents have not been forthcoming with information to identify the culprits.
Businessman Valentine Bailey, who is seeking to represent the community on the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) ticket in the next local government elections, says the violence is the legacy of lottery scamming.
“The young men don’t work, and most of them took to the scamming, but now that the scamming has dried up, most of those youths who used their money to purchase guns are left idle and are now creating problems in the area,” he said.
Last year, Bickersteth gained national attention when three soldiers were shot and injured by gangsters aligned to the parish’s most wanted man, Delano ‘Prekeh’ Wilmot.
St James, which is one of six parishes currently under a state of emergency, recorded 119 homicides up to October 26, a 41.7 per cent increase over the 84 recorded over the corresponding period last year.