Westmoreland fast becoming murder capital of Ja – Custos
Residents urged to chase crazy criminals out of parish to avoid label
Published:Monday | December 18, 2023 | 12:07 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Despite the crime and violence pervading the normally peaceful atmosphere in Westmoreland, its residents came out to celebrate the parish’s municipal tree-lighting ceremony in Norman Square last Thursday.
During a ceremony held to shed celebratory light on the darkness by way of lighting a Christmas tree, political and civic leaders decried the level of violence taking place in the parish. At the same time, they urged residents to use the festive season to reflect on the type of homes, community, and country they want for themselves and their children and to begin to take steps to flush out criminal elements from among them.
“The tree, with its lights, reminds us that we must put aside our darkness and our dark side and become enlightened with peace and harmony,” said Lieutenant Colonel Reverend Canon Hartley Perrin, custos of Westmoreland.
“One of the dark sides that we have has to do with crime and violence, about which everyone is fully aware. Westmoreland has become, or is fast becoming, the crime capital of Jamaica - not good,” Perrin insisted while speaking at the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony.
“That is not good at all. Let us say no to criminality. We have to ban the criminals,” he urged.
The clergyman drew the residents’ attention to Bob Marley’s 1976 album titled Rastaman Vibration, encouraging them to bring life to it and in particular the song Crazy Baldheads with a view to showing the criminals the route out of their parish.
In the words of Marley, Perrin contended that these criminals are crazy and must be chased out of the parish’s towns and communities.
He thanked Mayor Bertel Moore and his chief executive officer, Marvalyn Pitter, at the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation, for the annual entertainment package at this time of the year, hailing it as a cut above the rest.
“This tree stands not only as a symbol of hope, beauty, and peace, but also by its association with Him, whose birth we celebrate, [it] stands as a reminder of promise and goodwill,” Perrin added.
Moore, who has long indicated that he is leaving representational politics when the next local government election is called, said this year marked his 17th edition of hosting the annual Christmas treat and Christmas tree-lighting ceremony.
“This is my 17th Christmas tree lighting, and I think this is the best one. I must thank all those who have helped to put it together,” Moore told the residents gathered at Norman Square in the parish capital of Savanna-la-Mar.
He commended the police and the entire security force in the parish, urging them to continue to do what they were doing as the law-abiding were with them.
“We must understand the time we are in, and we are in very serious times, a time when crime and violence are taking over our society,” Moore said.
Continuing, the mayor said: “We are, as citizens, with you [the police]. We must take back this parish. We cannot let things keep going this way, and I know that it can happen, and I must say to the citizens: speak what you know.
“If you are afraid to go to the police, find the custos, find me. We will be the liaison officers because things must change.”
Westmoreland, St James, and Hanover have been under a state of emergency (SOE) since November 8. Westmoreland in particular had been experiencing an uptick in robberies and murders before the SOE declaration, which has resulted in two security consultation meetings with stakeholders.