Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
Monsignor Richard Albert (right) prays with (from left) David Campbell, Panseta Wright, Christopher Brown and Anthony Robinson, residents of the March Pen Road community in Spanish Town, St Catherine. Residents of the community, which for years has been split into three opposing groups, committed in 2006 to ending the rivalry. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
Residents from communities in and around Spanish Town are talking. In recent times, many have swapped guns for words to resolve disputes, and are reaping rewards.
The about-face in a historical hotbed of criminality is being attributed largely to the efforts of the four-year-old Spanish Town Crime Prevention Committee, which has brought welcome change in the St Catherine capital.
March Pen Road is a prime example.
The turnaround came when youths were convinced that the outside world cared, influencing them to talk.
According to chairman, Monsignor Richard Albert, continued dialogue has worked well with various area leaders, the police, Social Development Commission (SDC) and Dispute Resolution Foundation.
Regular meetings
"How the system works is that we walk together, we have regular meetings, we tour all areas of Spanish Town and to top it off, just before the elections, we had a meeting where all political reps were present," remarked Albert.
He explained further that Spanish Town, March Pen Road in particular, while not being perfect, has made a major shift towards peace, where persons can now walk in areas where they would have been killed or maimed previously.
Prior to the intervention, there was tension between rival factions in Top and Bottom March Pen Road, inflamed mainly by the political divide.
"There was a time,"Albert said, "when the slightest disagreement caused an upsurge which resulted in the closing down of the town." He added, "Dialogue is the way forward and the committee helps to foster this."
The Catholic cleric is supported by community members who commend all the stakeholders for peace in Spanish Town, including the police. "Bwoy, we glad dat Father Albert and de team come in a de area, because t'ings look far better than before. We just hope dat de man dem will keep de peace," said Dawn of March Pen Road.
Albert claimed that the multi-sectoral approach was the way forward, and that collaboration with the SDC and Parish Development Committee has spread positive energy to areas where killing was commonplace.
He also praised the Dispute Resolution Foundation which, through its Peace Centre, has helped resolve problems at the community level.
On March 4, Peace Day, Albert said all affiliated committees would march through Spanish Town in solidarity with other stakeholders staging events on that day.