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<span style='font-size: 17pt'>'Please, Come Back'</span>
Police appeal to Gobay business owners to return
BY TK WHYTE Observer correspondent
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
GOBAY, St Catherine - Police superintendent Harry Daley is appealing to business owners in the Berry Hill and Gobay communities of North East St Catherine who had closed their shops because of the upsurge in violence in recent months, to reopen their businesses so that some amount of normality can return to the area.
In fact, Daley is touting improved security in the area saying that the Riversdale Police Station, which serves 17 communities along with Berry Hill and Gobay, has been upgraded and now has additional personnel, including an inspector and a detective sergeant as well as equipment to effectively police the areas.
The D&D Better Buy Grocery, the largest shop in the Gobay square, was closed last month after the operator, like many residents, fled the community amid an upsurge in violence.
"It is against this background that I am appealing to the business people to go back and open their shops again and mek man an man go back a shop down the road a nighttime and play dem domino and laugh an drink dem white rum and mek joke like first time," he said.
According to the superintendent, the upgrade of the station will enable the police to carry out regular patrols and to undertake other initiatiives to restore stability on a long-term basis.
The upsurge in violence in the once peaceful Gobay and Berry Hill districts by marauding gunmen between March and October last year, has left seven people dead and several others injured. But it was the gun slaying of three people one fatal October night which sparked a massive exodus from the communities. Business were closed and fearful teachers abandoned the classrooms at the Berry Hill All age and infant school.
The school was subsequently closed by the education ministry and the staff of eight re-assigned to other schools. The communities became virtual ghost towns.
However, school was reopened for the Easter term on Monday, and in an address to parents and the business community at the school, Daley sought to assure the community that the police had the matter under control.
The violence, he said, stemmed from a long-term family feud.
Giving the assurance that the community was safe again, he said no crimes were reported over the past three weeks, but that four persons had been arrested over the period - three for murder and the other for shooting.
The superintendent <span style="color: #FF0000">promised</span> increased foot patrols, security at house parties, round-the-clock patrol at school and to install a community liaison officer at the Riversdale station.
Asking for volunteers for the auxiliry force he said: "I want all able-bodied men and women to apply to become District Constables to help out with security in the communities."
Police appeal to Gobay business owners to return
BY TK WHYTE Observer correspondent
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
GOBAY, St Catherine - Police superintendent Harry Daley is appealing to business owners in the Berry Hill and Gobay communities of North East St Catherine who had closed their shops because of the upsurge in violence in recent months, to reopen their businesses so that some amount of normality can return to the area.
In fact, Daley is touting improved security in the area saying that the Riversdale Police Station, which serves 17 communities along with Berry Hill and Gobay, has been upgraded and now has additional personnel, including an inspector and a detective sergeant as well as equipment to effectively police the areas.
The D&D Better Buy Grocery, the largest shop in the Gobay square, was closed last month after the operator, like many residents, fled the community amid an upsurge in violence.
"It is against this background that I am appealing to the business people to go back and open their shops again and mek man an man go back a shop down the road a nighttime and play dem domino and laugh an drink dem white rum and mek joke like first time," he said.
According to the superintendent, the upgrade of the station will enable the police to carry out regular patrols and to undertake other initiatiives to restore stability on a long-term basis.
The upsurge in violence in the once peaceful Gobay and Berry Hill districts by marauding gunmen between March and October last year, has left seven people dead and several others injured. But it was the gun slaying of three people one fatal October night which sparked a massive exodus from the communities. Business were closed and fearful teachers abandoned the classrooms at the Berry Hill All age and infant school.
The school was subsequently closed by the education ministry and the staff of eight re-assigned to other schools. The communities became virtual ghost towns.
However, school was reopened for the Easter term on Monday, and in an address to parents and the business community at the school, Daley sought to assure the community that the police had the matter under control.
The violence, he said, stemmed from a long-term family feud.
Giving the assurance that the community was safe again, he said no crimes were reported over the past three weeks, but that four persons had been arrested over the period - three for murder and the other for shooting.
The superintendent <span style="color: #FF0000">promised</span> increased foot patrols, security at house parties, round-the-clock patrol at school and to install a community liaison officer at the Riversdale station.
Asking for volunteers for the auxiliry force he said: "I want all able-bodied men and women to apply to become District Constables to help out with security in the communities."
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