By Omar Anderson, Gleaner WriterONE YEAR ago, the thought of staying out late in 'Tel Aviv', Central Kingston, just did not cross the mind of the average resident in the community. The same goes for adjoining Southside.
A year later, it is a different story as residents now relax in their new-found haven of rest.
Since January, there have been only two murders committed in both communities, compared to 40 last year, and 79 for all of 2003.
Residents in both communities are mainly attributing this new-found unity to their corporate neighbours Grace, Kennedy and Company Ltd.
Through the company's Grace and Staff Development Foundation, warring youths in both communities have been given a new compass for their lives.
During a visit to both communities yesterday, residents spoke with much appreciation of the renewed friendship between the former warring factions.
"Yu can walk, lay down, 'siddung' all hours ah night," said 62-year-old Gloria Lovemore, otherwise called 'Miss Barbara'. She has lived in Tel Aviv all her life and has witnessed the many evolutions of the community.
"I'm enjoying the peace because without it, we would have to run up and down. We couldn't sit right here," she told The Gleaner as the breeze from the Kingston waterfront dishevelled her hair while she sat along Laws Street.
Twenty-eight-year-old Althea Daley is unemployed. Yesterday, she sat on a bench on Laws Street enjoying the ceasefire.
"De place ah pick up cause it was worst than this," she explained, noting, however, that the community could do with a little more entertainment.
"De guys dem get likkle hustling, and we keep a community meeting where everybody try fe work out dem differences," Ms. Daley said.
'HUSTLING'
The 'hustling' to which she referred is provided through the Central Kingston Task Team (CKTT) of which Grace, Kennedy plays a vital role. Every corner in Tel Aviv and Southside has a representative on this team. They also have each other's contact numbers.
Yesterday, Merrick Isaacs, 32, the financial controller of the CKTT, and who lives in Southside, told The Gleaner that dialogue continues to be the underpinning of the peace in central Kingston.
"We just sit together in a meeting and start reasoning. Everybody talk what cause de problem an' we solve it," he said. He added that sporting activities have also proven useful in strengthening the bond.
As part of his job, he issues money to youths whenever they participate on small projects in both communities. These projects are often operated by Grace, Kennedy.
A 'MOTHER'
For their involvement in positively affecting the lives of the people in the area, Mr. Isaacs praised managing director of Grace and Staff Development Foundation, Frances Madden, whom he called a 'mother' to the community, as well as the company's chief corporate affairs officer, James Moss-Solomon, and chief projects officer, Francis Kennedy.
Carmen Taylor, 62, also lives in Southside. She sells at the St. Michael's Primary School and has been doing so for more than 30 years. A year ago, she would dismiss the thought of venturing outside her house after dusk. Now, that is no longer the case.
"De young boys dem a behave themselves," she said. "Ah doan know if is de Grace business mek dem quiet down now."
