ON HALF-TERM break form school, children who live in the environs of the often-volatile Mountain View community, St Andrew, are having fun. In an open field along the busy thoroughfare, teenage boys are enjoying a late evening football game on Friday.
There is no tension as residents move about. Several of the many bars and grocery shops which stay closed when there is a flare up of violence are open and business seems to be good.
Mountain View is the main transportation corridor that links eastern Kingston to the wider Kingston Metropolitan Region, and an artery to the Norman Manley International Airport.
Along Jacques Road and Jarrett Lane, two of the more troubled spots because of opposing political alliances, residents seem to have reconciled their difference.
Rebuilding in progress
At the community centre, men are working to re-rebuild the structure which was damaged by Tropical Storm Gustav last year. They are hoping to have the roof ready before school restarts tomorrow.
"We love how the youth them come together and a share the love which is what was preventing the peace, look how people from different sides of the community can sit and reason. It used to be different when the shot them did a fire," remarks Joy Mason.
Another resident, Marcia Brown, tells The Sunday Gleaner the initiative of several groups such as the Peace Management Initiative (PMI), Social Development Commission (SDC), Kingston Restoration Company and Jamaica Social Investment Fund has helped preserve the peace.
"We are seeing great rewards," Balwin McKenzie, governance manager of the SDC says, adding that the results are similar in other areas such as August Town, and March Pen Road, in St Catherine where the organisation has also implemented inner-city empowerment programmes.
Horace Levy of the PMI concurs and say that the success, in these areas, is due primarily to team effort.
Community grateful
"We have to thank persons like Berthlyn Plummer, who was instrumental in getting an auxiliary team of pastors, psychologists, and other resource persons to counsel children and adults alike," Levy says adding that the peace initiative is designed to prevent reprisals.
Londy Ottey, who chairs the Long Mountain Community Club, says that although some level of peace has returned, more needs to be done.
"Yes, the area is calm, however, more development is needed to make people get marketable skills, plus there is still mistrust amongst those who had differences, but we are indeed thankful for where we have reached," says Ottey.
The Long Mountain Educa-tional Centre, an independent citizens' initiative, which was affected by violence, is once again offering homework studies. However, the centre needs computers.
Ottey thanks the PMI for its help in forming the Mountain View (Peace) Council, on which representatives from seven areas, namely Jacques Road, Jarrett Lane, Saunders Avenue, Amstead Gardens, Top Range, McGregor Gardens and Burger Gardens sit.
rasbert.turner@gleanerjm.com