When the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Day, downtown Kingston was buzzing with everything you could think of — music, fireworks and gun salutes.

Gun salutes, which law enforcers warned against just two days before the new year, saw a 24-year-old firefighter narrowly escaping what could have been a tragic start to 2022.

A bullet lodged the top of his vehicle that he had used between midnight and 1:00 am to get home.

“The honest thing is, I don’t even know how it happened or when. I was at one of my friend’s house and I heard people ‘bussing’ gunshots. When I got in the car to leave from there, I didn’t see it. So, I don’t know if it was there from then or what. But there were no shots being fired in my place, so I doubt it was from when I was at my yard,” the firefighter told the Jamaica Observer.

In fact, it was his father who woke him up and brought it to his attention.

“What if me did decide to leave for home as 12 o’ clock came? I would probably be injured or dead right now. Imagine being killed by a falling bullet on New Year’s [Day]. That nuh look good pon gravestone.”

The police had warned that individuals who practise celebratory gun salutes would be prosecuted, and urged citizens to report any such breach. In previous years there have been several injuries caused by these gun salutes across the island.

Meanwhile, there was heavy security presence on the waterfront. Clifford Blake, deputy commissioner of police who was on location, told the Sunday Observer that police personnel were dispatched to the area in anticipation of large crowds, though official fireworks were cancelled by the Urban Development Corporation for a second year.

“It’s not about enforcement, it’s about creating order. We understand that the pandemic, for the past two years, has really constrained the ability of citizens to really celebrate. So, now that the restriction has lifted to one o’ clock, obviously citizens are utilising the opportunity to enjoy themselves until that moment. Come one o’ clock, that’s when we are going to shut off everything because that’s when curfew starts,” Blake said.

“So, our presence here right now is not about enforcement. It’s about creating that reassuring presence and creating order.”

At 10:20 pm, police were engaged in trying to free up traffic in the space, as many motorists flocked restaurants on the historic Victoria Pier.

“Some of the officers are trying to get the traffic moving right now. We can expect the traffic to get worse as it gets closer to 12 o’ clock. Right now, we are drawing some of our resources from elsewhere, like Parade and some other areas, and we are placing it into this area to provide that added layer of reassurance and security for citizens,” Blake told the Sunday Observer.

One of the attractors for many was Ribbiz Ocean Lounge, as one of the business partners, Don Creary, celebrated his 55th birthday and rang in the new year with complementary meals and drinks for invitees.

Creary told the Sunday Observer that entry was limited to only 120 people, and was adamant that “lock off” time would be 12:30 am, in keeping with the 1:00 am curfew.

“We are catering in a space that normally holds 300 to 400 people. Because of the influx of people on the waterfront at this time of the year, it is impossible for us to cater in a regular way to our customers. So, what we’ve done is that we have made it all-inclusive and limited entry. It gives us the opportunity to, within the context of COVID, responsibly ring in the new year. And the fact that it’s my birthday, it makes it even more important to me. I turn 55 this year and I am looking forward to 55 years more,” he said.

Among the guests was Minister of Industry, Investments and Commerce Audley Shaw, who is also acting as minister of agriculture and fisheries.

Former Jamaica and West Indies cricketer Wavell Hinds, now president and CEO of the West Indies Players Association, and Kensington Cricket Club, also turned up. Hinds also represented the Opposition People’s National Party in the September 2020 General Election, running unsuccessfully in the Hanover Eastern seat.

On December 7, Prime Minister Andrew Holness had announced changes to the measures aimed at containing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The all-island curfew started at 1:00 am on Christmas morning, and for New Year’s Eve night, December 31, the curfew began at 1:00 am as well, early on New Year’s Day.

The general public gathering limit remains at 10 persons, and physical attendance at events hosted by public entities is limited to a maximum of 50 people. These are to be controlled functions by invitation only, and attendees are required to be fully vaccinated. The measures expire on January 14, 2022.

At 12:30 am, the festivities ended. Creary, who said he was working with the police, urged supporters to adhere to the rules. He stressed that protocols were being maintained amidst the celebration.

“You are sanitised prior to entry at the outside of Victoria Pier, and you’re sanitised on entry into our location. The plan was that we were going to ring in the new year and then lock off at 12:30 so that persons have time to go home. And that is what we did. I don’t play around.”

But there wasn’t much compliance on Waltham Park Road. Police had to shut off a discreet illegal event at a hardware on Tobias Road at 11:25 pm on New Year’s Eve, which left patrons disgruntled.

“Dem come lock it off too early… nothing not even gwaan yet,” one woman complained.

Others, upset, lashed out at the Sunda y Observer team.

“Weh Observer a guh? Nuh video mi enuh,” one woman warned.

There was also a traffic pile-up on Waltham Park Road, as many journeyed to Romeich Entertainment Limited on Campbell’s Boulevard for music executive and businessman Romeich Major’s ‘New Year’s Bottle Par’.

Angry partygoers, who were turned away from other locations, pointed to “unfairness” as police officers didn’t impede Romeich’s event, but were instead directing traffic in the area.

“Yuh know how much di man do fi people. Money weh him make tonight a guh back to the people. Why dem [police] fi bother di man? A bare pretty gyal deh yah… a fi dem picture unu fi guh tek,” one man defending Mayor told the Sunday Observer.

Meanwhile, at 11:51 pm, a police vehicle drove past a crowd at the entrance of the venue.

On December 10, head of the JCF Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch, Assistant Commissioner Gary McKenzie said no permits were being issued for parties. McKenzie warned that those who breach the gathering limit would be charged.

Over at Newport West, in close proximity to Kingston Wharves Limited, the road was flooded by partygoers.

As the selector “pulled up” Innocent Crew’s Impossible Train, the crowd sang along to the lyrics: ‘Look up on the stage, it’s a bird, it’s a plane.”

But it wasn’t a bird or plane parked in a corner at the venue — it was a police vehicle with one officer at 12:50 am.

And on Red Hills Road in St Andrew, jerk chicken vendors were still out serving buyers, after being given leeway by police officers whom they thanked dearly for the opportunity to make some extra money in the new year.

At 1:07 am, police officers warned the vendors: “Hey, 1:15 nuh fi ketch unu yah suh.”