Heroy Clarke: Halt bloodshed in St James

WESTERN BUREAU:

St James Central Member of Parliament (MP) Heroy Clarke is appealing to criminals to stop killing the Second City’s youth, following last Wednesday’s triple murder at a birthday party in Rose Heights in Montego Bay.

“We notice we have had an upsurge of crime. We are begging, we are asking those who are the players within that environment just to cease and desist because we cannot take away the lives of our young people as they are the next generation,” Clarke said while speaking to journalists on Monday.

“We, as young people, who understand what the town is like, we are here to try and make the lives of Montegonians a little bit easier so they can live happily.”

According to Clarke, Jamaica’s tourism product could start bleeding if crime is not brought to a halt.

“I make the plea by virtue of the fact that we have a sensitive product of tourism. Even though it is not the only thing, it is one of the most important things, because a lot of us that live within the urban centres depend heavily on our nightlife to eke out a living for our children and ourselves,” said Clarke. “The more we perpetrate crime within these areas is the less we will have to take home, because there is nobody who will be buying our product, so to speak.”

Last Wednesday, five persons were shot at a yard on the Marl Road area of Rose Heights as a party was being held. Chadwell Frazer, 27; Chamario Calvin, 24; and Toniann Reid, 26, succumbed to their injuries. Two other persons were hospitalised.

On March 29, gunmen also killed three men and injured a fourth at Matches Lane in Rose Heights.

Up to May 27, St James had recorded a total of 101 murders since January 1, up from 70 for the corresponding period in 2021.

Clarke pointed to several options available to resolve disputes peacefully.

“We have many a social programme, such as the Citizen Security and Justice Programme, the Peace Management Initiative, our local community development committees, the police youth clubs, mediation centres, and the Church. These are different avenues that will be a mediator for many a situation where we can talk it out rather than fight or shoot it out,” said Clarke.

While surveying recently completed repaving work on Coke Avenue with Montego Bay Deputy Mayor Richard Vernon, Clarke said he will be pursuing plans to address the issue of security in the Montego Bay town centre at night and address other issues.

“The township is dead centre in St James Central, and so we would have seen things which need to be done. I am presently in negotiation with some other government agencies to look at the aesthetics of the centre itself. For instance, we know at nights it is very dark and so we are looking at addressing that,” Clarke said.

He added that within another month, the city will begin to get a facelift as the island marks 60 years of Independence.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com