FEAR yesterday forced most Spanish Town employers to keep their shutters down in the aftermath of Wednesday's fiery protest by residents angered by the shooting death of gangster Andrew Hope, alias 'Bun Man'.

Hope, the reputed leader of the notorious One Order gang, was cut down by a gunman along Ellis Street while he was in his silver Honda Civic motor car.

As news of his murder spread, fellow gangsters and loyal supporters torched the old court house which was used for night and juvenile courts, burnt cars and mounted roadblocks while some fired bullets wildly in the often volatile St Catherine capital. A section of the old court building was used by the Island Special Constabulary Force.

It later emerged that the caretaker for the old court building was shot by gangsters who left him to die in the inferno.

Yesterday, the town's mayor, Andrew Wheatley, as well as president of the St Catherine Chamber of Commerce Dennis Robotham, appealed for calm and encouraged businesses to reopen today.

"The business sector has been severely affected by this senseless violence which has caused the town to be at a standstill today," said Robotham. "Because of the absolute closure we have lost hundreds of millions of dollars in business. Consequently, government has lost millions of dollars in revenue from us, which in effect will hurt our economy.

"I am appealing for calm. I am asking the business sector to reopen tomorrow (today) so that normal life in Spanish Town will return."

Government offices and schools were also closed yesterday, while buses operated by the state-run Jamaica Urban Transit Company terminated their services at Twickenham Park, more than two miles away, forcing a number of commuters to walk a part of the journey. Most route taxis also stayed off the road.

The Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court also kept its doors shut, and persons who had cases there were given new dates.

The businesses, schools and transport operators were taking no chances following last November's mayhem in the town after the police shooting death of another feared gangster, Donovan Bennett, alias 'Bulbie', who was wanted for several murders and shootings.

"I am calling for good sense to prevail and allow normalcy to return to our town," the mayor said. "I am calling on those responsible for this mayhem to desist. and support the efforts of the police to maintain the peace. I anticipate that by the end of the week there should be some level of normalcy."

Yesterday, scores of police and soldiers, accompanied by solid waste workers, cleared the town's streets of debris used as blockades during Wednesday's protest.

Roadblocks that were set along William Street, Oxford Road and Tawes Pen earlier in the morning were later dismantled by the police, who were last night maintaining a strong presence in the troubled town.

Deputy commissioner of police in charge of crime Mark Shields, who visited Spanish Town yesterday morning, told the Observer that Hope's killer was well known to the police who were following a number of leads.

".He is quite clearly connected with the dead man's (Hope) past, but we are keeping an open mind on the cause of the killing," Shields said.

An apparently shocked Shields said the devastation at the old court was "caused by the vociferous criminal minority within Spanish Town, who are hell bent on causing problems there".

Shields, who also spoke to residents, assured them that the police were doing their best to bring Hope's killer to justice. He said the police were also working with the community to ensure that normality was returned in the shortest possible time.

Meanwhile, the Department of Correctional Services reported yesterday that its Spanish Town Probation Aftercare Office located at 37 Burke Road was fire-bombed Wednesday, resulting in damage to staff vehicles, the building and office equipment and furniture.

"As a result of this situation, the public is hereby advised that the office has been temporarily closed and clients can access services at the Portmore Probation Aftercare Office at Shops 1, 2 & 3 Twyn City Plaza, Lot #2 Port Henderson Road," the Correctional Services said in a press statement.

- whytetk@jamaicaobserver.com

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'

Cheeky's World