Gregory Park curfew yields some result
Published:Thursday | December 23, 2021 | 12:07 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
The St Catherine South police said the curfew imposed in sections of Gregory Park since Saturday is showing some sign of success.
This after the discovery of a Remington shotgun and six 12-gauge cartridges early Tuesday morning in a section of the community.
Commanding officer of the St Catherine South police, Senior Superintendent Christopher Phillips, told The Gleaner that the weapon was recovered after a team from the specialised operations branch was patrolling the community and came upon a group of men who ran when they saw the lawmen. The police team carried out a search of the area and the shotgun was recovered.
“We still have a curfew imposed in Gregory Park, the challenges continue but we are not going to let up,” said Phillips, who was attending an appreciation function for nurses and doctors at the Christian Pen Health Centre on Tuesday.
“We want to instill a sense of normalcy in Gregory Park because the small business operators are crying out to us to give them some kind of breathing room for them to do their businesses, there are persons who are bent on making the community unsafe, so we have to do what we have to do,” the commanding officer stated.
Overseas players
While not divulging names, Phillips said the police are aware of overseas players who are sponsors of the violence currently taking place in the community.
Residents in the community had alluded to an overseas ‘don’ who they say is supporting a certain faction with guns and ammunition as well as cash.
“It is very unfortunate that there are persons in the diaspora who are supporting criminal activities on our soil, they must understand that they are destroying Jamaica and they need to stop,” Phillips said.
He disclosed that the Police High Command is aware of the situation and is working to disrupt the activities of the individuals in question.
Meanwhile, St Catherine East Central Member of Parliament Alando Terrelonge avoided commenting on the specific allegations raised by residents of Gulf that politicians were taking sides in the conflict.
Terrelonge’s only comment was that he supported the efforts of the police in bringing peace to volatile communities in his constituency.