East Kingston fighting its way back from the throes of hell

Anastasia Cunningham, Senior Gleaner Writer

The Greater Brown's Town community in east Kingston has been to hell and back.

The high crime rate was a major challenge for the security forces, with gang violence creating mayhem on a daily basis. In fact, just last Saturday night in McIntyre Villa, Dunkirk, the police reported a murder and a house being burnt to the ground, followed by a spate of shootings.

Greater Brown's Town takes in the communities of McIntyre Villa, Dunkirk, and sections of Franklin Town, which forms part of the Kingston Central, Kingston Eastern and Port Royal constituencies. The area enjoyed relative peace and harmony when the various housing schemes were erected in the early 1970s and the population began to grow.

McIntyre Villa was an elite community in its day. However, by the 1980s, things started taking a turn for the worse when the 'foreign mentality' invaded the area.

Deportees and regular travellers who resided in the community started naming their streets after popular areas in the United States and England, such as 110, Brooklyn, 42nd, Texas, Cambridge, and the like. Residents became territorial. It was no longer about the community. Tribalism grew and chaos ensued.

Violence blew up

The territorial war and the gang violence blew up in the '90s and it was bloodshed for a really long time.

"No one could cross from one street to the next. If you stepped out to the border, a just pure gunshot from up the street. Families were shooting at families and didn't even know that they were related," said Beresford 'Bigga John' Francis, public relations officer for the Greater Brown's Town Community Development Council.

The year 2005 was the worst. It was just straight war. Sixty-five people were murdered that year, seven in one day.

The residents decided this could not continue. Francis and a group of persons formed the Positive Deportees in Action committee, which was later renamed Positive Youth in Action.

Targeting the youth through music and regular entertainment events, eventually youth from opposing areas began socialising and getting to know each other.

"Warring factions who once wanted to kill each other became 'family'. Music brought the community together and helped to break down the barriers that once divided us. Everyone was just talking about pure togetherness," said Francis.

Today, the community committee remains strong, and tries to quickly resolve any conflict that may arise.

"We have passed through a terrible phase and no one wants to go back there. Everyone is committed to keeping it that way," he said.

Earlier in the year, they had to deal with the stain of a triple murder, which stemmed from a long-time conflict with unruly factions that had left the community years ago.

Renewal initiatives

Working closely with the Peace Management Initiative, several community-renewal initiatives have been implemented. Among them, anger management, conflict resolution, and mediation sessions. There are also after-school homework classes to include cultural components of music and dance, the Grade Six Achievement Test after-school programme, and transition sessions for students.

Other programmes include one-day workshops for parents and students, skills training in housekeeping, food preparation, and auto mechanics.

They host regular sport competitions, social activities, religious observances, summer, and other youth programmes.

They have also undertaken the refurbishing of the Michael Manley Market, and the clearing of the Greater Brown's Town Heritage Park, while the community centre is now being refurbished.

Support for farm

Efton Thompson controls McIntyre Villa's farm, which attracts the support of the entire community. Rearing chickens, pigs, goats, ornamental fish, and growing fruits and vegetables, the farm has been supplying the community and its environs for some 10 years.

"This is a community effort. It's one of the main projects that mobilises the community and brings people together," said Thompson, adding that they got support from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund.

Francis said the European Union recently signed off on a bee-farming project.

Their biggest challenge now is unemployment.

"This is a big headache and heartache we have to deal with. We have youths that are so well educated and can fit in any area. They have the brain that is quick to grasp anything. But just because of their address, they cannot get a job," said Francis.

"Every time they send out their résumé, just because of their address, they are turned down, even though they are just as qualified as the other applicants."

He said he had to commend the youth for holding it together, despite the high unemployment level and the suffering it has caused.

"We really grateful for the understanding them have and keep the community togetherness," said Francis.

anastasia.cunningham@gleanerjm.com