Clarendon councillor calls on Gov’t to curb crime after farmer’s murder
CLARENDON, Jamaica — Councillor for the York Town division in Clarendon, Uphel Purcell, is once again making a plea to the government to stem the tide of crime in the country and in particular in his division.
The appeal comes on the heels of the murder of a farmer of the Howell’s Content community.
The deceased is indentified as 29-year-old Fabian Mullings, who was gunned down shortly after 9:00mam on Tuesday. He was shot along the Rhymesbury main road in Howell’s Contents as he herded his animals.
The Police’s Constabulary Communications Unit has confirmed the incident.
Purcell said that he is urging the government to do more about the crime and violence in the country, but he outlined that the necessary steps to engage in community-oriented discussions with the citizens in his division must also be explored.
“I am calling on the government to do more about crime and violence,” he said.
They are trying, but I think it needs more effective community-oriented discussions between citizens, especially young boys so they will not get guns and get entangled in criminal activities.”
“This is affecting every single person from the churches to the schools, and, so, I am imploring the government to take crime as a major concern that must be dealt with urgently,” he added.
He said that he is disheartened by Mullings’ killing and that he is in disbelief regarding shootings in the area.
He also noted that farmers are being targeted in the area, which has become a serious concern.
“I am really disturbed and cannot believe that at this time we are still having shootings in this area,” he said.
“This young man is a farmer who feeds his animals daily, so these mornings upon reaching this location a barrage of gunshots were heard and when people came out they saw him lying in the road.”
“I think it is a disgrace that these things happen in this community continuously,” he added.
Meanwhile, father of the deceased, Irvine Mullings, described his son as a hard worker, who took turns with his brother herding the animals.
“One guh three days, the other guh four days. We get on well as a family and he doesn’t give problems, so I don’t know what cause this brutal killing,” he said.
“I was on the road and got a call that someone was in the road, when I come, I come see him lying in the road.”
“Words can’t explain how I feel right now because mi have high blood pressure, and I have to be drinking water and praise God, or my wife and kids will have two dead fi bury,” stated the distraught father.