More funding coming as Sav-la-mar ZOSO reaps success

WESTERN BUREAU:

Two years after they were established, the zones of special operations (ZOSOs)) in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, and Parade Gardens, Kingston, are to receive dedicated financial resources when the new financial year commences on April 1, 2024.

Ahead of them being properly sourced, the police and residents are reporting that the lives of those residing within those spaces are, by and large, a pinnacle above where they were 24 months ago when they lived in fear of death on a daily basis.

On the advice of the security forces, Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared a zone of special operations for Parade Gardens on January 9, 2022 and, for the southern section of Savanna-la-Mar seven days later; however, their operations have been floating on the thin resources of the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF).

“We’ve been doing some things with the small budget we have, but nothing significant or major from that standpoint,” said Omar Sweeney, deputy chairman of the ZOSO Social Intervention Committee.

“The budget for the last two zones is going to come forward in earnest in the next financial year,” the social intervention advocate revealed in a recent Gleaner interview.

According to Sweeney, who is also the managing director of JSIF, the lead state agency within the ZOSO, small, but meaningful interventions are taking place in these zones towards ensuring longevity in these communities using its limited resources.

Bishop Oniel Russell, president of the Cooke Street Benevolent Society, says the year has started well for the people within the Savanna-la-Mar ZOSO, now that proper funding is about to come to the space.

“I have been batting for the full rollout of the social intervention programmes in these communities; therefore, hearing the news that appropriate funding will be provided in the next budget cycle is certainly a welcome one,” said Russell.

The clergyman, who is also a justice of the peace, told The Gleaner that, with funding on the horizon, these communities of Cooke Street, Dexter Street, and Hudson Street, commonly called Russia, will be model residential spaces in years to come.

“This is a good footing on which to start the New Year, by helping to lift people out of poverty through infrastructural development and appropriate training, so our youth can upskill themselves and be provided with jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities,” Russell noted.

Under The Law Reform (Zones of Special Operations) (Special Security and Community Development Measures) Act, an area can be declared a ZOSO once there is rampant criminality, gang warfare, escalating violence and murder, and a threat to the rule of law.

The law allows for measures to contain crime while safeguarding the human rights of residents and promoting community development through social intervention initiatives in areas where the operation is being undertaken.

Dean Watson, deputy superintendent of police with responsibility for the ZOSO in Savanna-la-Mar, says there has been a massive transformation of the space, pointing out that murders were a rampant feature in the Westmoreland parish capital up the end of 2021.

“When we look at the period prior to the zone being declared, we saw upwards of 25 murders in the Savanna-la-Mar space,” said Watson, ground commander of the Savanna-la-Mar ZOSO.

“Two years later, we have seen a massive downward trajectory, where we have recorded four murders. Over the period as well, we have seen three shooting incidents. That too is a major downward trend from previous years when we had as many as 30,” he explained.

Accordingly, Watson said, working with the residents, the police have had a positive impact on the gang culture in these communities where several people involved in criminal gang activities are either facing their day in court or have fled the area.

“What we have also seen is a displacement of gangs and their activities, some of which we account for as being dormant, because persons have been arrested and are in custody,” the Westmoreland Police Division revealed.

“We continue to see these successes and we are now experiencing a better relationship amongst communities, who were once at odds,” the senior police officer noted.

The Gleaner understands that several outreach programmes are being spearheaded by JSIF and Project STAR in the capital which, according to the police, are helping to foster the coming together of different communities in the same spaces for sporting and other entertainment events, including football and netball.

“We are getting a lot of positives out of these programmes as they are bringing communities together,’ Watson told The Gleaner. “In previous years, you could not have that, it would have been toxic.”

He is, however, encouraging all citizens within the boundaries of the ZOSO to do more towards partnering with the police in ensuring a safer environment for them and their grandchildren.

“Things are looking up in Savanna-la-Mar, it’s not complicated, there is still work to be done. As such, we are appealing to citizens to partner with the police for further improvement of their communities,” the Savanna-la-Mar ZOSO ground commander said, noting that they can only reach their end state when all stakeholders are on board.

There are seven ZOSOs across the country, namely Southern Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland; Parade Gardens, Central Kingston; Denham Town in West Kingston; Norwood and Mount Salem in St James; and Greenwich Town and August Town in St Andrew.

Parade Gardens and Savanna-la-Mar ZOSO’s are still operating within the ‘hold phase’, which is the second of three phases under the enhanced security measures.

Superintendent Berrisford Williams, commanding officer of the Kingston Central Police Division in which the Parade Gardens ZOSO is located, says the presence of the enhanced security measures has helped to stem the number of gun murders in that space within the last two years.

The senior police officer noted that, before the declaration of a ZOSO, there were 22 murders and 22 shootings in the Parade Gardens community.

“For 2022, no incidents of murder or shooting were recorded in that space, which would tell you that, at least in the initial stage, we have had tremendous success reducing the number of violent crimes, and you couldn’t get it better than zero,” Williams told The Gleaner.

However, he noted that there was a slight uptick in 2023, during which there was one murder recorded and five incidents of shootings.

“This is significantly better than it was in 2021; you would see that figure compared with 2022 when we recorded zero; using that data alone, even with the increase in criminal activities in 2023, over 2022 it is still a significantly better position than when the ZOSO was initially declared, following the period of 2021, that I dare say speaks to success,” Williams reasoned.

He said the ZOSO was further supported with the launch of Project STAR in the Kingston Central space – (East Downtown Kingston), impacting the zone and adjoining communities such as Rose Gardens with some level of social intervention that was not taking place hitherto in the focused way that was necessary.

“We are still hoping, from a policing standpoint, that the social intervention that would normally accompany the ZOSO will come on stream promptly, having gone through the clearing and being in the holding phase,” Williams noted.

He observed that some amount of intervention and infrastructural work has been done, pointing to road improvements, old structures being demolished, and new buildings going up.

“At least one resident so far has benefited from the social housing programme. When you go in there, the roadway is much better, and as we speak, there are two major road work projects being undertaken on Gold Street and Barry Street,” Williams informed.

“For this year, we are hoping to see an uptick in infrastructural development, and I am happy to hear that budgetary support is now there to have that,” he continued.

Fuelled by a gang feud between two main gangs in the division, Kingston Central recorded 79 murders in 2021 – a 55 per cent increase when compared to 2020 and the second-highest increase in murders across all police divisions.

The head of the Parade Gardens Community Development Council (CDC) says the security enhancement measures have benefited the community and the residents are now focusing on improving their lives through their work, especially now that they able to freely go about their business without fear.

CDCs are a networks of individual community-based organisations, such as neighbourhood watches, youth groups, citizens groups, and women’s groups among others combined into one umbrella group to discuss development issues, make plans and advocate for positive changes within the community.

“Life has been much better, compared to where we are coming from. You can tell by the pleasant demeanour of the people as they go about their business,” said Norman Brown, president of the Parade Gardens CDC.

He also shared that the collaboration of the social intervention of the ZOSO and Project STAR is immensely appreciated in the community, as it is helping its members in many ways.

“With ZOSO and Project STAR collaboration, this has been helping the mindset of the people by providing a chance to learn what we don’t know and apply those skills, especially now that the presence of crime and violence is not there, stopping it.”

However, there remains a concern among the senior residents of the community as it relates to the safety of the youth population, who believe that if sustained social intervention and employment opportunities are not provided, they could be dragged into the nets of criminal elements.

“The youth are still at a disadvantage since they are likely to be targeted, because it’s their peers who are the ones that are involved in criminal behaviours,” the CDC president said.

Brown added that the changes that have taken place over the last two years were needed in the community because it was very volatile and things had got out of hand.

“At one time, there were incidents of shootings almost every day and people dying left and right, but, since the ZOSOS, we have not had that experience,” he explained.

He said that, along with infrastructural works, residents have gained employment as environmental wardens to keep their community clean, an initiative by JSIF.

The CDC executive also noted that plans are now in place to expand a pet plastic bottle collection programme to prevent them from entering the sea.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com