AMID tears and grief at the funeral of three-year-old Jayce Pinnock Thursday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness urged residents of Denham Town and the Kingston West general area to get serious about pushing out the criminals amongst them.

Pinnock was shot dead in a home invasion in Denham Town on Saturday, February 21. His father, who was also shot, died later at hospital, and a sibling was injured.

At the funeral, held at Pentecostal City Mission Church in Denham Town, Holness invited residents to ask themselves whether they could have played a role in the murder of the three-year-old by shielding criminals. He challenged them to carry out an introspection exercise to see if they created the conditions and circumstances for criminals to thrive in their community, and to declare that they will no longer facilitate them.

“Jayce did not get the opportunity to fulfil his promise, his life and his ambitions. It was cut short, but we must ask ourselves, did we play a role in this? Did we unknowingly, inadvertently, maybe even deliberately, play a role in creating the circumstances and conditions under which it is said that three young men invaded the Pinnock family home and snuffed out the life of young Jayce and his father, and injured other family members? Did we in any way make it fashionable for those who possess firearms to feel as if they have special powers and even remained quiet when we know who those persons are who have guns and we don’t find a way to smartly and discreetly tell the police?“

Triggering a round of applause and loud cheers from the scores of mourners who packed the church, he continued, “Did we harbour them and, when the police came for them, did we go out and demonstrate on their behalf? We cannot continue to be ambivalent and duplicitous. If we want to get rid of criminals in the society we must draw a line that is clear. Criminals, you are over there, and law-abiding citizens, we are here, and our objective is to get rid of the criminals out of our communities, out of our homes, out of our schools. Get the criminals out!”

Holness said that residents in certain garrison communities like Denham Town may hold the view that criminals are like Robin Hood who take from the rich and give to the poor.

“They take from you the poor and enrich themselves. There is a view that if the criminals are protecting you, and that once they are there, nobody can violate. That’s not what the criminals do. At some point in time they are going to point their guns indiscriminately at you.

“Until you start to see those who have guns in your communities as a threat to you, then tragedies like these will happen and then we will gather in churches like these, and we will mourn and we will go back into our communities and then another young man gets involved. A gang tells him that a man disrespected him so go out and deal with him, and then we are back here again,” he lamented.

Holness said he made sure to attend the funeral for a number of reasons; key among them being to reassure the community that resources will be deployed for their safety and to embrace the family, especially Ladania Cunningham, Pinnock’s mother, whom Holness described as a tower of strength.

He noted that the West Kingston police division has seen significant improvements with vast reductions in murders and shootings. However, he pointed that the root causes of crime and violence still exist.

Statistics provided by the Jamaica Constabulary Force showed that between January 1 and March 21, the division recorded seven murders. During the same period last year, there were 10 murders. In terms of shootings, the division has had 12 cases this year so far. There were nine incidents of shooting during the same period last year.

Holness said that some people are of the opinion that they must control communities with their guns. These he described as a pestilence, and he said that his Government is determined to break the back of every gang in Jamaica, no matter how “bad” its members are.

“We are building a new Jamaica and [gunmen] do not have a place in this Jamaica,” the prime minister stated before pointing out that the circumstances which led to the death of Pinnock and his father are being thoroughly investigated and that those responsible must all be brought to justice and either meet a judge or their maker.

The police have arrested two people in connection with the incident. A third suspect is still on the run. According to Desmond McKenzie, Member of Parliament for Kingston Western, he will be increasing the $500,000 reward to $1 million which will be made available to anyone who can provide information leading to the capture of the third suspect.

McKenzie lamented that Pinnock had done nothing wrong and yet was robbed of his innocence by callous terrorists.

He encouraged the residents to stand in defence of the children. And, like Holness, he commended the police for their work to bring crime to a minimum in the division.

Before delivering an emotionally moving musical tribute, family friend Sabrina Donaldson said the tragedy should not have happened to the three-year-old.

She recalled how brilliant Pinnock was, and said the tot was able to go to the nearby shop all by himself and come back with the exact items he was asked to get.

“It hurts my heart,” Donaldson said.

One woman was seen holding the face of a young man to her chest as she tried to console him. The Jamaica Observer understands that that young man is Pinnock’s older brother and prior, to his brother’s killing, he also had lost his father by the gun.

As the woman held the boy’s head to her chest, she prayed and declared that the spirit of revenge will stay far from him.

Family members Stacy (left) and Ladania Cunningham speak to Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Member of Parliament for Kingston West Desmond McKenzie (right) at the funeral of three-year-old Jayce Pinnock. The funeral was held at the Pentecostal City Mission Church in Denham Town, Kingston. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

A photograph of three-year-old Jayce Pinnock that was displayed at his funeral on Thursday. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

Prime Minister Andrew Holness at the funeral of three-year-old Jayce Pinnock on Thursday at the Pentecostal City Mission Church in Denham Town, Kingston, where he urged residents to get serious about pushing out the criminals amongst them. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)