(Jamaica Observer) Most inner-city communities which were once ruled by a fearsome strongman have turned over a new leaf and are no longer subscribing to the dictates of the don, representatives of the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) told the Observer on Monday.
According to the CSJP officials, the new outlook by residents in these communities is the result of social intervention programmes that are being implemented by the Ministry of National Security and other agencies, including the police.
Speaking at the Observer’s weekly Monday Exchange, senior community action co-ordinator at the CSJP, Orville Simmonds, used the community of ‘Southside’ in Parade Gardens as an example.
“They want to move away from that culture. The don thing doesn’t have a future, they recognise it and they want other options,” Simmonds said.
Many residents of these communities were heavily dependent on the benevolence of their don. However, in an effort to empower these residents, the CSJP has implemented a number of social intervention programmes geared at improving their lot and ending the culture of dependence.
“The don might keep a treat at Christmas or a back-to-school treat, but what does he take in return?” said Simmonds.
Among the programmes are life skills education and educational training for adults and adolescents. So far, approximately 12,000 persons have benefited from that programme which includes homework assistance for primary and secondary students.
The CSJP has also established 34 community parenting groups since 2009 and granted $90 million worth of scholarships to 3,000 needy students last year.
In addition, 60 young persons have been afforded employment internship in public and private sector companies since last year, while 85 persons have been employed to do data-based duties under the programme.
In the aftermath of the security forces’ operation in Tivoli Gardens last May, which ended with more than 70 persons dead and former strongman Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke hightailing it out of the community, many of the residents were traumatised and the CSJP operatives seized the opportunity to organise emergency counselling for 2,500 residents, mostly children.
“Three thousand children and their parents were taken on outings,” CSJP’s social marketing co-ordinator Gillian Scott said.
The CSJP does work in inner-city communities where poverty and lack of social amenities are a feature of everyday life.
Between 2008 and 2010, six community centres have been built or expanded under the programme.
Granville in St James and ‘Mud Town’ in the Corporate Area are among the communities where centres have been constructed.
According to Simmonds, despite the reputation for crime and violence that many of these communities bear, representatives of the programme have never had an untoward incident within those areas.
“We have never had a project stopped because of extortion,” he said.
“We have never had a contractor say he can’t do this work because of bad men. We have never had any issue of conflict with informal leaders.”
