St Andrew residents march for peace

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Monday | July 30, 2007

Concerned residents from rivalling Maxfield Avenue, Whitfield Town, Greenwich Town and other communities along Spanish Town Road in St. Andrew walked together in a peace march as they combined their voices to denounce the violence in their communities on Thursday.

They said the violence, which now has political underpinnings, must cease because the election will pass and, when they are over, residents will have to coexist.

"Keep it down cause it no mek no sense fi fight after politics. We have to live together regardless a which side you deh pon," said Carol Palmer, a resident of Greenwich Farm.

Spread the peace message

The aim of the march was to spread the message of peace and love. Some marchers were dressed in shirts which bore the tagline, "Peace Delegate, swelling the river of peace."

Godfrey Lothian, president of the Kingston and St. Andrew Action Forum (KSAAF), made an appeal to the residents to leave their houses and support the march. He asked them to be brave in the face of adversity.

"I call on you to come out, don't be afraid. There must be some people who are willing to come out," he said.

Mr. Lothian encouraged other communities to follow suit because the violence was beneficial to no one.

"We want to say to Woodford Park and Mountain View come the 28 (of August), we have to speak to one another," he said.

The general election has been called for August 27.

While some residents welcomed the venture, others were sceptical of the value of the march. One woman, while peeping through her fence, shouted "me no have no time fi dat now", while another man asked, "You tink wen me hungry me can get nutten outa dis?"

The march was organised by the KSAAF, a non-governmental organisation affiliated with 53 communities in the Kingston and St. Andrew area. The march started on West Avenue, on to Maxfield Avenue, then Waltham Park Road culminating in Boat-Tie-Land.