St John's Road residents plead for peace, deny blame for attacks
Published:Friday | June 17, 2022 | 10:47 AM
Rasbert Turner/Gleaner Writer
Householders of 31 St John's Road in St Catherine have rejected claims that migratory residents from the violence-plagued community have sparked an upsurge of violence in Spanish Town.
They were responding to an assertion made Wednesday by St Catherine Central Member of Parliament Olivia Grange in the aftermath of shootings a day earlier that left three men dead in the Old Capital.
READ: MP Grange responds to reports One Order Gang behind Spanish Town violence
St John's Road has suffered violent attacks in recent times, including the discovery of a man's body this morning and a firebombing on June 9.
But community members insist that they are not to blame for the spate of crimes, such as the quadruple murder near Tawes Pen almost two weeks ago.
"Nobody from down here don't have no problem with Tawes Pen or Ellerslie," a resident who declined to disclose his identity said.
"The truth is that 31 no need no don. A just pure hustlers down here, but some man just come back and a try prove."
Another theorised that the latest rash of violence might be linked to a casual show of disrespect to a man who declared himself a don.
"Man just a drive through and a man a look under him car. Him tell di man dat ah him ah run 'bout here," he said.
"The man run him weh. The youth get a gun and come fire shot. Straight, ah that start it," he added.
St Catherine South Central Member of Parliament Dr Andrew Wheatley did not address Grange's claims, but emphasised that he was taking a zero-tolerance approach to criminal activities plaguing the area.
The lawmaker said he would not take sides with gangsters as the innocent suffered most in crime waves.
"We have no space for people who are creating sadness. We will support the full investigation," said Wheatley Wednesday, adding that he was trying to assist the fire victims who lost everything.
There has been increased deployment of police and soldiers to the streets of Spanish Town in a bid to restore normality and calm shoppers and business people in the heart of the St Catherine capital.
But even amid beefed-up security, a woman was slain and two others injured in a gun attack in Homestead late Wednesday.
The fragile stability that offered commuters, vendors, and buyers a sense of peace has now been shattered.
Operators of some shops and schools have been wary of reopening as the week wears on.
"Right now, pickney can't go a school. People can't work and quite a few move out due to the violence," Michelle Garwood said.
"As fi di police, I want them stay, as you can move a little. The most important thing right now is peace. We need fi party again, but tings sticky right now," she said.
That cry for respite may yet come, even if temporarily, with a state of public emergency that took effect today.
Over on William Lane, an elderly resident who has been living there for close to 30 years, said the scale of the violence is unprecedented.
"It's the first I have ever seen this type a wickedness," he said.
"It look like a family war. Dis one a revenge fi dem relative and di cycle continue."
He is convinced that the state of affairs will never improve.
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