MANDEVILLE, Manchester — The leader of a church in the now-troubled community of Broadleaf, which borders crime hotspots including Comfort, says an ongoing feud among gangsters is crippling the church’s activities in this parish, particularly night services.

Bishop at the Broadleaf Church of God, Calbert Spence, made the disclosure on Monday during the Manchester Peace Coalition’s (MPC) World Peace Day celebration in Mandeville. The event was part of a week of activities, including a 5K Run and Walk fund-raiser planned for Sunday to raise funds for Mandeville Regional Hospital’s urology unit.

“I represent the community of Comfort and it is currently under curfew. On a daily basis our main challenge has to do with gang warfare. Crime is high in that area. The truth is as a community we are unable to have night services from about March of this year. Because even with the planning of crusades and road marches, we are unable to get the go-ahead from the police. Based on the intelligence that they have we have not been permitted to [host events],” said the bishop.

Spence, who was among a panel of community leaders and students participating in the event, pointed to the impact of the lockdown measures on night life, including that of the church.

The audience at the Manchester Peace Coalition’s World Peace Day celebration at Golf View Hotel in Mandeville on Monday. (Photo: Kasey Williams)

“On weekends, it is early lockdown, any time after 6:00 pm. You might be able to go up to about 8:00 pm or 9:00 pm during the week, but from Friday to Sunday the area is under curfew,” he said.

He told his audience that the area is so tense that residents are on edge.

“It is gang-related, where the youngsters are at war with each other, so I think at any moment you might just get the information that someone is killed,” Spence said.

Leader of the Broadleaf Police Youth Club, Constable Tamecia Scott, said community policing is being utilised in communities such as Broadleaf and Comfort.

“One of the things that the Jamaica Constabulary Force is doing is to be more involved in the community and establish police youth clubs and neighbourhood watches. Those are what we use to target and build a safer community, because once we establish police youth clubs and neighbourhood watches, we get the community members together. Being a part of a community club will give young people a sense of belonging,” she explained.

Community leaders holding hands together at the Manchester Peace Coalition’s World Peace Day celebration at Golf View Hotel in Mandeville on Monday. (Photo: Kasey Williams)

“It gears towards helping young people to be more respectful; it pulls them from being a part of gangs. Because what I notice is the younger generation have a get-rich mentality and they don’t want to start from a humble beginning…The crime and violence spiralling in Jamaica is because of scamming [and] the get-rich mentality,” she added while reiterating the importance of youth clubs in steering young people away from the lucrative and illicit practice of lottery scamming.

Head of the Manchester police division, Superintendent Odean Dennis, said the police were maintaining curfews in communities along an area called the L belt. It covers the Williamsfield to Melrose corridor, including the communities of Comfort, Royal Flat, Land Settlement, and Broadleaf.

“This is as a result of some gang feuds that are going on in that space. Mandeville to Newport corridor, including Brokenhurst, Old England, Barnstable, May Day, Albion, Tulsa, Green Street, Sunset, Inverness, Waltham, Cedar Grove, Richmond, Heartease, Belretiro, [and] Knockpatrick remain under curfew,” Dennis said on September 10 during a sitting of the Manchester Municipal Corporation.

“We have looked at the curfew situation since I have been here and we have removed it from some areas, including Ellen Street and Greenvale,” added Dennis, who took charge of the Manchester division in June.