KINGSTON, Jamaica — At least one resident has commented that a 308 metre UPVC fencing, recently erected under the Greenwich Farm Community Zinc Fence Removal project, has improved the community, removing a symbol of poverty and transforming it into a “residential area”.

“There was a stigma attached to the area with the zinc and the police were always suspicious, always probing to see who was behind the zinc,” said project liaison officer and secretary for the Greenwich Farm Development Council, Maxine Simpson.

“Crime and violence in Greenwich Farm is down and the focus has shifted to development of the community”, Simpson said in reference to the J$6.7-million project implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and funded by the Government.

Noting that “a lot of residents got employment in building the fence and everyone was cooperative”, Simpson added, “You can imagine how the people feel upgrading from zinc gates and fences to nice board gates. Greenwich Farm has been transformed into a residential community.”

Managing director of the JSIF, Scarlette Gillings, said in a release Thursday that the organisation was “extremely pleased to have played a part in ensuring that the Greenwich Farm Community is a good place for citizens to live, play and work”.

Gillings noted that the new fence has not only resulted in a more beautiful environment but a more secure one as the police are now better able to effectively apply crime prevention strategies.

She noted too, that “the rusty protruding zinc fencing was a safety hazard for pedestrians and children at play and negatively impacted the property values of homes and businesses in the area”.