RESIDENTS of Greenwich Town say they are pleased to walk the streets without fear and sleep peacefully at night, almost two years since a zone of special operations (ZOSO) was declared in the Kingston community.

Those on Seaview Avenue have praised the efforts of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) in particular.

“Dem alright man, mi feel safer. They are doing a very a good job,” Pamella Gayle told the Jamaica Observer during a tour of the ZOSO conducted by Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang, Member of Parliament for St Andrew South Western Dr Angela Brown Burke, Jamaica Social Investment Fund officials and members of the security forces.

Another resident, who gave her name as Kim, added, “Dem [soldiers] alright, dem hold the peace. We communicate with them nicely. Dem nuh give us nuh problem and we nuh give dem nuh problem. We just cooperate. It benefits the community a lot. People nuh affi fret again if dem fi walk late.”

Meanwhile, residents of Fourth Street were equally pleased with the ZOSO.

“It feels really good. With the ZOSO mi can sleep at night. Things not bad,” said one resident, Oretia Trew.

Another resident, who gave her name as Aunty Annie, said while her community is more peaceful, she is hoping for more job opportunities for youngsters.

“Wi want a whole heap a improvement. Wi want some jobs fi the young people dem. Even a training centre that take the kids dem off the road. Too much a dem let go on the road and nah do nothing. Mi glad school a come in full effect, so most a dem will gone a school. Nuff time dem nah do nothing and dem find themselves inna problem,” she said.

The area had been plagued with gang violence between Crab Gang which operates on Eighth Street and Bagga Gang which operates in the West Avenue Area.

The ZOSO has been ongoing since July 1, 2020 and since then, security forces said they have seen a reduction in major crimes.

Between the periods July 2, 2020 and March 3 of this year, the area has recorded three murders and two shooting incidents.

Noting that the ZOSO in the area has been yielding success, Dr Chang said, “They have shown consecutive successes in terms of reduction in criminal activities in the communities.”

Additionally, he said the Government is committed to commercialising the Greenwich Town Fishing Village in Kingston.

Dr Brown Burke shared a similar view, noting that she is pleased that the communities welcomed the operation.

“I think that in the operation of it, in terms of certainly the way that they are treated by the members of the joint command, they are pleased with that and they are treated with respect,” she said.