Curious onlookers brave the obnoxious odour to get a glimpse of the partially decomposed body found under the cellar of an abandoned building in the gritty Norwood community early yesterday. (Photo: Horace Hines)

MONTEGO BAY, St James

The tough Norwood community yesterday woke up to the gruesome find of a partially- decayed corpse in a suitcase under the cellar of an abandoned house.

According to CCN liaison officer for the St James Police Division, Corporal Camille Tracy, the unidentified partially decomposed body of a male, estimated to be between the ages of 15 and 19-year-old, bare-footed, clad in a grey merino and a pair of black short jeans was found in a suitcase under the cellar of an abandoned house in the Hendon, Norwood community at about 9:00 am. Its hands were bound and a plastic bag covered its head.

Scores of residents braved the teribble scent to mass at a section of the community -widely regarded as a crime hotbed - for a glimpse of the macabre sight.
Amon them was Councillor for the Norwood Division, Mexine Bissasor.

Councillor Mexine Bissasor (left) peeks at the partially decomposed corpse of a man found under the cellar of an abandoned building in the gritty Norwood community early yesterday. (Photo: Horace Hines)

A former media practitioner who was swayed into representational politics late last year, Bissasor mooted the need for employment opportunities for the Norwood youths as well as social amenities in the community which featured prominently among the 188 homicides reported in the St James.

"A lot the youths pretty much don't have anything to do. If you can find employment to take these boys off the street then you can have a check on criminality," Councillor Bissasor argued. "Plans are afoot to construct a community training centre in the lower section of Norwood and to establish a marching band in the community which will give the guys something to do during their spare time."

Noting that in recent times, the community, which is reputed to be an enclave for the notorious Stone Crusher gang, has seen a drastic reduction in criminal activities since the intensification of motorised patrols in the area, Bissasor told reporters she was going to be making representation very early for the renaming of some of St James' toughest communities.

"I have a problem with the naming of some of the communities: the Blood Lane, the Gully, the Gulf, the Shanty Town and so on because with that type of naming it already stigmatise the area to be bad. I am going to put representation forward as it relates to the naming of some of these communities," she said.

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