IT’S not the orthodox way of dealing with things, but it is a genuine home-grown response to a problem that has plagued two inner-city Kingston communities for years.

Faced with escalating crime rates, almost daily murders and, finally, a police-imposed curfew earlier this year, a motley crew of area leaders, corner gangsters, local business interests, the police, the clergy and the political directorate in the Parade Gardens/Rose Garden neighbourhoods of central Kingston decided to take action.

They formed the Central Kingston Task Team (CKTT) a few months ago, and met Monday to give community members a progress report.

At that meeting, the passion was just as high as the initial drive that led to the formation of the task force.

“Enough is enough. Let us put a stop to this …we need to go out like disciples and be unified,” urged Dunstan Whittingham, executive chairperson of the CKTT.

He was speaking at the group’s fortnightly meeting at the offices of Grace, Kennedy, one of the largest businesses operating in the community.

“We don’t have time to wait until the Peace Management Initiative (PMI) come in here — when they hear a shot. We live here; this is our Cherry Gardens, Meadowbrook and Havendale,” he said, adding that since the initiative was launched in May, the barriers have been coming down.

His comment was a pat on the back for task force members who have shown an ongoing commitment to quell the unrest, while helping to restore order to the volatile areas.

Frances Madden, a representative from Grace, Kennedy, told the Observer that Monday’s meeting, which included area leaders, Michael “Fatta Pow” Williams from Southside and Rohan “Skilla” Smith of Tel Aviv, was aimed at gathering and sharing information on activities in the different communities.

“Basically, it’s getting updates from the communities. What is happening in your community, who did what; and then we discuss it and take action in order to sustain the type of unification that is going on now.”

Area leaders, for their part, identified unemployment and a lack of education as the root cause of violence.

Williams, a Southside resident and father of four children, was instrumental in the launching of the initiative. Seen as a community leader, Williams approached Member of Parliament Victor Cummings who, in turn, sold the idea to Grace, Kennedy and from there it gathered momentum.

The CKTT’s slogan, “Gone too Soon, Stop the Violence,” speaks volumes about the number of lives already lost in the communities.