Bringing ‘fun’ to St Andrew South
SUSTAINED violence has made the St Andrew South Police Division one of the most violent areas in Jamaica. The past three years have seen the security forces maintaining a consistent presence in that region.
Tommy Cowan and his wife Carlene Davis will lead their ‘Jamaica Fun In The Son’ engagement to that area on October 15. The event, scheduled for Pembroke Hall High School, features gospel artistes including Davis, American preacher/singer Donnie McClurkin, Kevin Downswell, Nadine Blair, Goddy Goddy, and Isaiah from the United Kingdom.
Cowan told the Jamaica Observer that he has had dialogue with Senior Superintendent of Police Keith Ricketts, head of the St Andrew South Police Division, and church leaders in the area to seek solutions for a desperate situation.
“The objective is to bring transformation and a positive change to a community which is one of the leading causes of crime in Jamaica,” said Cowan.
He added that, according to the police, the St Andrew South Division has 71 “active gangs” whose illegal activities affect 33 communities. Members of these gangs range in ages from 12 to 25.
Early this month, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) released statistics showing 1,055 murders committed in Jamaica as of September 7. St James accounted for most of those homicides with 145, followed by Westmoreland (103) and St Andrew South with 100.
Some of the trouble spots in St Andrew South are Maverley, Olympic Gardens and Whitfield Town.
In addition to meeting with the police, Cowan and his team have held discussions with principals of Pembroke Hall High School and Edith Dalton James High School, as well as church leaders and parents concerned their children may be affected by crime.
“We want to see how best to encourage them [youth] to come to church. Some of them feel the church has let them down,” said Cowan, who staged similar events in Folly, Portland and Manchester in 2019.
Members of those communities, including many youth, met with senior police members in day-long outreach programmes. At the ‘Portland Fun In The Son’ engagement the police staged a recruitment drive which resulted in several young persons joining the JCF.
