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Duncan-Price laments shooting death of PNP loyalist

Published:Friday | October 23, 2020 | 12:15 AMJason Cross/Gleaner Writer

THE PEOPLE’S National Party’s (PNP’s) Imani Duncan-Price has expressed regret at the death of Anthony Goss, otherwise called ‘Froggy’, one of the party’s loyal supporters and volunteers in the Kingston Central constituency.

Superintendent in charge of the Kingston Central Police Station, Maldria Jones, confirmed the incident to The Gleaner yesterday, pointing out that details were unavailable as investigations continued.

However, The Gleaner was told that on Sunday, Goss, a resident of Rum Lane, was shot and killed by unknown assailants around 1 p.m. as he drove his motor car along Wildman Street, Spoilers, close to the intersection with Beeston Street. The motor vehicle reportedly crashed following the shooting.

Duncan-Price asserted that the incident was in no way motivated by politics and blamed gang warfare for turf ownership instead.

Duncan-Price, who lost her contest for the Kingston Central seat in the September general election against Donovan Williams, brother of Kingston Mayor Delroy Williams, indicated that Froggy had been making strides over many years to transform his negative energies into positivity, highlighting that his death may set back a number of promising community programmes that were budding in Tel Aviv, where he resided.

COMMUNITY MAN

“There is heightened gang activity and men seeking to own and run turf. Let us not mix that up with political preferences. Sadly, and unfortunately, Froggy was gunned down in Spoilers. Over the last two months, in particular, he has been very active trying to build peace within Tel Aviv specifically. We’ve really been getting some good traction. He had existing relationships with the community, hosting sport events and fish fries and such. He understood the dynamics facing many young men and families impacted by the ongoing war. He was a community man who turned his life around in the last 10 years.”

She shared that Froggy was using his own vehicle on Sunday to transport delegates to a PNP meeting ahead of the party’s presidential election next month. It was after this meeting that he was attacked.

With children participating in online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Duncan-Price highlighted that Froggy had plans all lined up to start remedial educational classes for primary and high-school students in the Tel Aviv area, which she was on board with.

“He saw it as a need, and we said we would use the corners to begin those classes informally, given the impact of COVID-19. He was that kind of guy. He was very helpful,” she said.

The mother of Goss’ daughter, Taschel Stephen, was adamant that her lover died for peace. She claimed to know nothing about Froggy being a gangster.

“He was very influential to the young people. Time gone by, only certain families would keep everything for themselves, like vouchers and all of that, but he was for everyone and was of the opinion that it doesn’t make sense children and women cannot walk the community in peace. He was trying to build peace and was working to make the community a better place. It is so sad that people actually know about it and were actively trying to get him out.

“He died for peace. He wasn’t a thug. He was roughly 50 years old, so maybe he had a past history because nobody is perfect. But from me know him, him nuh mix up inna war and dem something deh round here. Fi somehow, maybe him past history, when him did younger, people use it against them. Everybody can remember what him used to do fi dem before me even born. He was bringing peace, and it is just so sad dem get him out. “

jason.cross@gleanerjm.com