MONTEGO BAY, St James — Recently appointed head of the Peace Management Initiative West (PMIW) Dr Richard Keane says the COVID-19 pandemic has put on hold several of the group’s programmes in schools and communities.

The PMIW covers the parishes of St James, Hanover and Westmoreland.

“The impact that it [COVID-19] has is that we can’t do much in terms of our community programmes, especially in the schools. There are a lot of programmes that are geared at the children, especially those who are challenged, and, of course, those gatherings of community people that we do workshops with, that is suspended,” Dr Keane told the Jamaica Observer.

He was, however, quick to drive home the point that, despite the challenges, the PMIW is unrelenting in its effort at maintaining its objective.

The objective of the Peace Management Initiative is to set up an early warning and intervention mechanism to detect and manage potentially explosive, criminal, or violent situations in a community.

“But, as far as our work as maintaining peace, of doing mediation where there is conflict between the different groups, where violence has been a part, we continue to do that. Our community workers are continuing their work in the community along with our social workers, and so we meet with the families, we do our grief support, and we do our peace management in terms of mediation, and so we are continuing our work,” said Dr Keane, who along with his wife, K Joye, are pastors at the Family Church on the Rock, Montego Bay.

The PMIW chairman agreed that since the outbreak of COVID-19 there seems to be a drop in major crimes.

“I would want to think, although we have had several flare-ups, I do believe with the COVID and the restriction of movements, we have seen a decline in violence and shootings and homicides. I believe we have seen a significant reduction, to my knowledge,” he argued.

Dr Keane was recently elevated from vice-chair to head the PMIW, following the retirement of Rev Everton Jackson, who was appointed director of integral mission of the Baptist World Alliance.

Jackson is expected to take up his new assignment in Virginia, USA, on July 1.

Keane was full of praise for Jackson’s stewardship of the PMIW.

“Reverend Jackson, he did a very good job while he was there. We are sorry to see him go, but he made the way easy to take over, commendations to him and his work. He was there for 14 years as the chairperson,” Dr Keane noted.

Rev Jackson has been a member of the Baptist Union for 35 years.