The Gleaner

JSIF Christmas tree lights hope in Cooke Street

Albert Ferguson/gleaner Writer COUNTDOWN

JAMAICA SOCIAL Investment Fund’s (JSIF) community Christmas tree-lighting ceremony last Friday brought cheers among the residents of the seaside community of Cooke Street in Savanna-la-mar, Westmoreland.

The event, the residents said, brought joy and great hopes to the approximately 500 people, including children and women who are living in 296 houses. They said many of them have never participated or witnessed such a ceremony because of the boundaries that are being maintained in the ongoing turf war and gang violence for approximately 40 years.

“I have never been to one as old as I am,” said Jennifer Baugh, who has been living in Cooke Street for the past 30 years. “As for my sons, they have never been either, at least inside the community, they may have gone on their own to the one uptown, but I have never gone out there.”

“I have three boys here and this is the first time they are enjoying Christmas in the community,” Baugh said after witnessing the lights being turned on, on the JISF-sponsored Christmas Tree in her community for the first time in 40 years.

“I appreciate what’s being done for the community. I only hope that after all this, the youths will realise that we are going places for the betterment of our community,” she told The Gleaner.

According to her, the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony is extremely good for the community. “If you noticed the youths have come out, normally when we are having any event they don’t come out, so this a very good and uplifting thing for the community.” Like Baugh, Shelene Myrie-Wallace, who has been living in the community for 22 years agree that this is the first time that a Christmas tree is erected in their community. “This is the first time I am seeing a Christmas tree inside here. We are grateful for it, especially the children,” Myrie-wallace said. Continuing, she said, “My bigger boys have not seen one, but my smaller son is now able to see it. This is a nice community, we love it here, and we appreciate everything that the security forces, JSIF and the Restorative Justice Centre have done and continue to do for us.”

Oniel Russell, president of the Cooke Street Citizens Association said the JSIF Christmas treelighting ceremony in the community has ignited sparkles of peace, unity and hope for the residents.

“We are using this opportunity to help build back our community, to let persons know that we are not into conflicts,” said Russell,l who is also the pastor of the Ark of the Covenant Holy Trinity Church, headquartered in the community.

He said the event which brought the residents together and provided a much-needed treat to the children, along with entertainment provided by Christopher Wallace, also known as ‘Grandson’, is a module which is being used to show other communities that they too can achieve and live in peace.

“Over the years we have been torn and ripped apart. Many persons from our space have died, they were murdered, but understand this, after a storm there must be a calm,” said Russell, referencing the state of affairs before the imposition of a zone of special operations in the Westmoreland parish capital of Savanna-la-mar for the past 11 months and which includes the Cooke Street Community.

RELATIONSHIP IMPROVED

He noted that the relationship between residents and the police has improved over the past 12 years, following the establishment of the citizens association.

“I will climb the mountain to make sure that our children can walk in peace, live in peace, and go to school in peace,” Russell insisted.

Camel Plumber, a member of the Mountain Assembles of Church of God, based in the community, told The Gleaner that the presence of the Christmas tree is a symbol of peace and hope.

“Based on where we are coming from, this is a wonderful achievement for the community and I wish that this could be replicated in other communities because we need unity and love,” Plumber said of the erection of the Christmas Tree in his largely marginalised Cooke Street community.

“There is love and unity here, and I hope it never goes back to where it was when everyone was just at war with each other,” he said.

That position of peace and unity is being elevated by Mona Sue Ho, senior manager at JSIF, who told the residents their community Christmas tree is a reflection of the peace that they have so far managed to achieve among themselves and a symbol of hope for the future.

“The Christmas tree is a symbol of hope, a symbol of peace and the lighting ceremony is a way for us to bring everyone together as a whole community along with the government agencies so that we can all relax and be entertained and enjoy ourselves,” Sue Ho said.

NEWS

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2022-12-19T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-12-19T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://thegleaner.pressreader.com/article/281792813085408

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