ROSE HALL, St James — The Ministry of National Security hosted an empowerment fair at the John Rollins Success Primary School in Rose Hall on the weekend for residents living in the volatile Barrett Town community.

The fair, which formed part of the ministry’s crime intervention strategy for western Jamaica, saw the residents benefiting from consultation with representatives from the Legal Aid Clinic and getting assistance with the procurement of documents from the Registrar General’s Department.

Jamaica Aids Support also provided free HIV testing.

Members of the Jamaica Defence Force, Jamaica Constabulary Force, Peace Management Initiative, HEART Trust /NTA and Citizen Security & Justice Programme were also on hand to provide assistance.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Dianne McIntosh, said that the fair is part of a trust-building exercise designed to re-energise communities that have been severely affected by crime.

“This is a bonding fair and it’s part of the intensification of intervention as a result of the rise in crime, in particular this community (Barrett Town) where the criminal element has been minimised. The criminal element was suppressive, leaving the community underproductive, so we are opening the community to receive other services that can give them hope and allowing persons to acquire skills that will eventually better their lives,” McIntosh explained.

“We are motivating the community and giving them hope and building community resilience by equipping the residents with the proper tools to combat suppressive forces. We are also providing counselling to help with the upsurge in domestic violence. We have rolled out our football programme in this community, as well as other critical communities such as Flanker, Salt Spring, Rose Heights and Glendevon, to develop team building and to explore football as a business,” added McIntosh.

Another critical element of the initiative, she said, is using music, stressing that “we have joined with Ninjaman”.

Dancehall artiste Ninjaman, whose given name is Desmond Ballentine, explained that he decided to be partner on the initiative as he is convinced that citizens can achieve more through a more peaceful and united populace.

“From I born till now they have been killing gunman, they have been sending youths to prison, and everyday it gets worse. so we have to put an end to the killing, gun living, crime and violence. We have to show the youths that there is another way out,” Ninjaman explained.

“I’m not stopping, not keeping quiet; if I can reach ten out of the crew and that ten reach another ten, then I’m good. That’s why I’m a part of this initiative and I’m not stopping this fight.”