Epitome of peace - South Trelawny community turns its back on crime

Mark Titus, Staff Reporter

Western Bureau:

While murders remain a major scourge in Jamaica, the residents of the quaint rural district of Alps in southern Trelawny have been experiencing true tropical paradise, not having had a murder in their community for over 25 years.

"There is no place like Alps. We don't have the trouble other areas have with crime," Beverly Wright told Western Focus last Friday. "This is a non-violent community. Crime for us is hunger and having no money."

"The last time we had a murder was more than 25 years ago. The younger generation has grown up in a peaceful environment," Wright pointed out.

Located along the winding roads in the heart of the Cockpit Country, the hilly community of Alps is located some seven miles from Albert Town. The community is inhabited by more than 1,500 people, who take great pride in the fact that they live in peaceful environs.

Proud record

"We have a proud record that we want to preserve. We want to demonstrate to other communities that everyone can live and work together to create a comfortable environment," said Marlene Campbell, a 46-year-old housewife. "I would not swap anywhere for Alps. This is the best place to live despite the economic challenges."

While the nearby Ulster Spring Police Station regularly faces challenging situations from other surrounding communities such as Freeman's Hall and Albert Town, Alps represents how they would like the entire area to be: crime free.

"The members of the community work together, struggle together, and play together, and as a result, they are reaping the comfort of a relatively crime-free existence," a subofficer at the Ulster Spring Police Station told Western Focus. "You might have the occasional domestic dispute, but you only hear about it because the community is close knit ... . There is no trouble from Alps."

Everald Curry, a middle-age yam farmer from the community, says that unlike other farming communities, praedial larceny is not a problem for the farmers in Alps.

"Only one house in Alps have burglar bar," bragged Curry, emphasising how safe the community is for residents. "Everyone can leave their house open - no problem."

Strangers questioned

Curry noted that while residents are cordial to strangers, they usually make it their business to find out what outsiders want when they venture into their community, especially when on their own.

"After a few minutes, a stranger will be approached and questioned by someone, even a child," said Curry. "We are a family-oriented community."

Despite their trademark hospitality, the residents of Alps are far from being complacent as they know that one bad incident could tarnish what they have worked so hard to preserve and protect over the years.

"You are welcome at anytime, but you must respect our culture and our lifestyle because we are watching you," declared Curry.

• ... But residents struggle for water

Residents of Alps in Trelawny have one collective wish which they want to become a reality quickly: They would like to have a reliable water supply in their community.

"It has been all talk over the years," said Petunia Ellis, who has lived in the community all her life,

"We have lived here for years and nothing has changed in regard to giving us a proper water supply."

According to Ellis, the community is being served by two tanks - a rainfall catchment tank and a National Water Commission (NWC) tank. Neither tank is adequate to meet their needs.

Another resident, 46-year-old Marlene Campbell, said she was baffled by the fact that the community did not have piped water despite having several springs. Interestingly, she pointed out, these springs supply water to several other areas in the western region.

"Based on the amount of springs we have here and even underground, we should not be suffering like this," said Campbell.

A source at the NWC told Western Focus that plans are now in place to construct a new water system to serve some of the communities in south Trelawny. However, the residents will have to continue depending on rainfall for their supply of water until that project is completed.

"Only the communities of Ulster Spring, Spring Garden, Rock Spring and Troy have water piped to their homes. The other areas have to depend on catchment," the NWC source said. "The designs are finished. It is now for the procurement process to take place. However, with a new government just freshly installed, it might drag out a bit."

There are some 33 communities in south Trelawny and five major rivers that are fed from the aquifers (Black River, Great River, Montego River, Cabarita River and the Martha Brae) under the Cockpit Country.

Water channeled outside

In an interview with Western Focus late last year, Hugh Dixon, executive director of South Trelawny Environmental Agency, was quite critical of the supply ratio to the communities in the area.

"They collect the water at no cost, distribute it at a high cost, but provide none for the source," said Dixon. "The Trelawny Parish Council is responsible to supply 16 districts and the NWC five. Twelve are dependent on rainfall.

Interestingly, the parishes of St Elizabeth, Hanover, St James, Westmoreland and Trelawny derive their water supply, in whole or part, from these same sources.

According to a draft document published by the NWC, titled 'National Water Commission Trelawny Parish Plan', the government produces approximately 3,891 million gallons (17,699 million cubic meters) of water per year in Trelawny through seven wells and nine surface sources".

- M.T