WITH crime, high unemployment and many other Challenges plaguing their community, residents of Steer Town have expressed delight at the implementation of the Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP) which they are hoping will help stem the increase in criminal activities.

   The ICDP promotes public safety and transformation through the delivery of basic infrastructure and social services in 18 communities across the island. The components of the programme include improvement in access to basic infrastructure, improvement to public safety, youth livelihood projects and institutional strengthening for urban management and public safety.

   “JSIF, I thank you for this intervention; it is timely; it is needed,” said Desmond Gilmore, councillor for the Lime Hall Division of which Steer Town is a part.

   However, while people say they are grateful for the intervention, there were repeated calls for the residents to play their part to ensure the programme is a success.

   “We in the community have to do a lot. We need to play a great role,” Jennifer Burgess, member of the Community Development Committee urged fellow residents.

   Several people called on residents to do all they can to help to bring calm to the community.

   Member of Parliament Shahine Robinson said the challenges facing the community are not insurmountable, with many of them due to poverty.

   Noting that poverty reduction is a must if the country must move forward, Robinson pointed out that this should, however, not be an excuse to buy guns.

   “What is happening in Steer Town is not right. We cannot live like this; people cannot be held hostage in their homes,” she said, adding, “Now is the time to stop it… I don’t condone anything like that and I stand on the side of the law.”

   Superintendent of Police Steve Brown also joined in the call for residents to play their part in ensuring peace in their community.

   Brown said, while the community is not the ideal presently, “there is nothing wrong with Steer Town which cannot be fixed by what is right with Steer Town”.

   “We are going to bring back Steer Town and we have to bring back Steer Town,” he said, adding that literacy is a concern among the young men. Superintendent Brown said community policing is important in reducing crime and violence.

   Sections of the community are said to be at war with each other and according to Superintendent Brown people from both sides were recently picked up by the police. The tension, he said, was still running high even as the men waited at the station to be processed.

   In a previous interview with the Jamaica Observer North East several residents expressed fear for their lives.

   “Persons are fearful for their lives. You fear to send out (job) applications because there is a stigma attached to the community,” a resident of the community who did not wish to be named stated.

   However, the residents believe it will require more than the police coming in to solve the problem.

   “The community has a lot of unemployed youths. The illiteracy level is high and you have a lot of school dropouts,” said one resident, who noted that there are many factors contributing to crimes in the area.

   “I think they should look at a strategic plan to address the problem. We need a resource centre to help persons to learn skills or organisations like the Jamaica Foundation For Lifelong Learning,” she continued.

   The residents stressed that while crime is in the area, and gangs have been associated with the community, there are law-abiding citizens living in Steer Town.

   The residents admitted that the informal settlements throughout sections of the community also contribute to crime in the area.

   “You find out that because this place is not accessible to the police then it is hard to control crime,” another resident said.

   “It has to stop. Persons need to live their normal lives. You have progressive people up here, but because of crime persons they are afraid to tell persons where they live,” one resident added.

   Residents said those from the community who have been incarcerated often return worse than they were before.

   “I don’t think enough is being done to rehabilitate persons. When they come back they are bitter,” one woman stated.

   “It is a lovely community. It is accessible to the central towns. It has schools and many prominent members of society are from the area,” the resident said, adding that work has to be done to remove the stigma and to stop the crime and violence in the area.

   “They have robbed the post office so we no longer have a post office. The have robbed the church; they have robbed the basic school,” the resident said.

   The residents also believe that many of the criminals now in the community migrated from other areas.

   “With the large constructions in the parish, they come and they see somewhere they can stay, so they stay,” one woman said.

   “We are taxpayers; we need interventions; we need help. We invest a lot in our houses we can’t run leave them,” she continued.

   One resident suggested that plans should be put in place to assist high school dropouts.

   “Another area of concern is when these children get expelled from schools they begin experimenting with gangs, guns and the evil of society. They need a boot camp with military personnel to try and correct them.”

   With the JSIF programme launched residents expect many of their concerns to be addressed.

   In the meantime, the member of parliament said she is concerned about the lack of affordable housing solutions for the residents in St Ann. She pointed out that many persons who live in informal settlements would live elsewhere if they had a choice.