By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
WHILE SOME residents of Central Kingston have united in the gesture towards peace in their communities, the bloodletting has continued in sections of the constituency, claiming two more lives between Thursday night and yesterday morning.
The latest killings took place in the Allman Town community.
The victims have been identified as 21-year-old Jermaine Pyke and 37-year-old factory worker, Paul Desouza.
According to police reports, Pyke was gunned down about 9:00 a.m. on Thursday in the vicinity of Heroes Circle. Desouza was executed at his home on Prince of Wales Street, shortly after 5:00 a.m. yesterday.
Residents said gunshots were heard and Desouza, popularly known as 'Radics' was found in a pool of blood.
Superintendent Carlton Wilson, head of the Kingston Central Police Division, confirmed that both killings are related.
24-HOUR PATROL
"We have since put in place a 24-hour patrol targeting the area. The patrol includes mobile and foot," said Supertindent Wilson.
The officer revealed that since the start of the year there have been 10 cases of murder in the division. He noted that in 2002, 83 murders were recorded in the division compared to last year's 39, a 49 per cent reduction. Mr. Wilson further said that robberies and shootings were on the decline 56 and 60 per cent less respectively.
Victor Cummings, Member of Parliament for the constituency, pointed out that the Allman Town area was not included in the peace gesture organised by the Central Kingston Task Team, which staged a major peace meeting at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, on Monday.
"We are now planning to include this part of the constituency in the peace initiative," said Mr. Cummings.
The meeting, which was held under the banner 'Gone Too Soon. Stop the Violence.', includes 'Tel-Aviv', 'Spoilers', Southside and Rae Town. Residents of the wartorn communities embraced each other in a movement towards peace in the constituency.
Commenting on the spate of violence in Allman Town, Mr. Cummings said he visited the area and held talks with the residents yesterday.
"The police must go in there and do their work," Cummings said.
