These notorious youngsters, ranging from adolescents to adults, have access to guns, ammunition, “weed’ and other weapons and are terrorizing the lives of their rivals and innocent persons as well.
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Carty Alley, notorous for their "Red"
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“It is really unfortunate that some of these adults who have sold themselves to this gang lifestyle have roped in little children to imitate their stupid lifestyles,” noted a very concerned Conaree resident.
“Somehow, they have infiltrated the minds of these small children and have virtually robbed them of their opportunity to make sensible decisions,” the resident added.
Incidentally, most of the gangsters have no legitimate source of employment and just “hussle”- sell weed, rob, steal and extort money- to support themselves and their colleagues.
“I am really tired of seeing them just sitting there on the corner smoking weed, drinking and lazying the time away,” one irate resident from New Town noted.
“They sit there and just ‘trouble’ everybody who passes, especially the young school girls, who seemingly are mesmerized by the gangster lifestyle,” she added.
In speaking to a young man, who claims to be a member of one of the “gangs”, he indicated that the rivalries are not only territorial but also a ‘war’ for respect.
~~Adz:Left~~“Some of them fellows want to ‘dis’ my brethren and try to show that they better than us. We can’t back down and let them think so,” he explained.
“A lot of times we go to parties and stuff and we have to represent. The rivals do roll through with their boys and we got to let them know we got our clan too,” he added.
He admitted that innocent persons get caught up in the fracas but quickly shrugged it off as the “rules of the game”.
This was plain to see as on one occasion I was travelling in a vehicle with two other young men. The driver was attempting to go along Central Street to get to Sprott Street when the other young man asked the driver not to carry him through the Prickley Pear Alley area.
The driver then chided the young man for being involved in this “gang” warfare. The young man denied involvement but said that because he “limed” with some fellows from New Town “them guys got it in for me”.
In another incident, I was walking along the street, with a red shirt on when a young man boldly suggested that I burn the red and I should wear the blue.
The “Reds” and “Blues” rivalry has transcended many social boundaries as is evident in their jousting over relationships.
Many “gang fights” have originated as a result of relationships with young women, the source stated.
He further stated that sometimes fights start just because young men from rival areas are “checking” young ladies from their “turf”.
According to many residents, what is even more upsetting with the local groups is their blatant disregard for human life when they are fighting. They use unlicensed firearms, knives and anything that could be used as a weapon to gain advantage.
“All of them should be placed in the park and let them fight until they have killed each other,” was one suggestion, underscoring how wary people have become of the senseless violence.
The Police, and other security personnel, are aware of these “gang” rivalries and are familiar with most of the ‘role-players’ in these groups but it can sometimes be very difficult to take action.
In most cases, when there is gang warfare and the Security Forces are involved, the victims refuse to cooperate with Police, choosing rather to plot actions of revenge with their colleagues.
“We are not going to talk. Everybody knows the rule, “walk and live, talk and ………… dead’,” my source related.
One officer was certainly of the view that the Security Forces’ hands are tied, especially when it comes to cooperation from the general public.
The “gang” violence will continue because development comes with a price but how can the impact of such a negative trait be curbed?
“Everybody is a bad man until they get cut down and how long you last depends on your support,” my source added.
The above is a really frightening statement and is the ideal point to start from with the follow up.
