KINGSTON, Jamaica – Retired Senior Superintendent of Police Delroy Hewitt has said that inner city communities would improve much if gangs are removed from them.

The former top cop told the Tivoli Enquiry ‎that methods of removing the gangs would be to provide jobs for young people and lift the standard of education.

“If they had jobs, most of them would not be involved in gangs,” said Hewitt referring to young people.

Commission Chairman Sir ‎David Simmons remarked that Tivoli Gardens has “settled down” since Coke’s arrest, according to the evidence, but asked: “at what cost?”

He said that Jamaica didn’t need a “repeat of Tivoli”.

He noted that the removal of gangs is “‎a massive, massive task in Jamaica”.

Hewitt testified that criminals control garrisons with a combination of fear, intimidation money and guns.

The former lawman also testified that intelligence provided to him lead to the recovery of 10 high powered weapons in Denham Town, Chestnut Lane and Craig Town ‎in West Kingston following the May 2010 operation to apprehend Tivoli Gardens don Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.

He said that 13 explosive devices – including dynamite, hand grenade and smoke grenades – were ‎found, along with a quantity of assorted ammunitions.

A new witness is to take the stand when the enquiry resumes today at 2 o’clock.

Paul Henry