News

TIVOLI NERVOUS

Residents of Arnett Gardens go about their business under the watchful eyes of soldiers who are in the community to keep the peace. - Rudolph Brown

RESIDENTS OF TIVOLI Gardens and Denham Town, like most of Jamaica, are concerned about the current upsurge of violence next door in Arnett Gardens.

Their concerns however, are more of a personal nature because they fear being drawn into the fray. "It nuh tek nutten fi start a war between TG and Jungle and right yah now, me a tell yuh di truth, we nuh really want that right now. Everything woulda crash," a businessman from Tivoli Gardens expressed.

Tivoli and Arnett, not long ago rival communities, for the past two years, have been experiencing peaceful coexistence.

The residents say the current feud is also troubling because they say they have been brought into internal 'Jungle' matters in the past. "All yuh need fi hear right now is a rumor whe seh Garden (Tivoli) man involve and is war again between we and dem. Is suh nuff ah di odda war dem between we and dem start," said a 22-year-old male resident of Tivoli.

Sharon, a resident of Denham Town was cautious with her comments. "Bwoy mi nah comment 'bout dem internal matters because all me have fi go pon is what oonu di media seh, but bwoy mi nuh like see any of wi down yah suh involve inna any feud because people tend fi paint di whole a we and style up di whole a wi as hooligan and criminal and even when we nuh involve, we involve."

Both Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town, are strongholds of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), and as a part of the West Kingston constituency, have often been at loggerheads with Arnett Gardens, a People's National Party (PNP) enclave.

Many times, politics was at the heart of their feuds, which saw their peak in the 1970's and 1980's. Other times underworld figures were allegedly at the heart of the problems.

Rumours

However, 2001, was the last time a major feud erupted between the two communities. In May of that year, 'warriors' from Denham Town traded bullets with those from Arnett Gardens. That particular feud came about because of rumours that men from Denham Town were involved in the murders of Black Roses crew leader William 'Willie Haggart' Moore and Albert 'Blacka Douche' Bonner in April of that year.

Almost two years ago, all wars between the two communities were brought to an end, allegedly after Arnett Gardens area leader, George Phang, brokered a peace deal.

Nowadays the communities are on friendly terms with several residents of Arnett Gardens being regular patrons at the weekly Tivoli Gardens street dance called 'Passa Passa'.

"Nuh week wouldn't pass dem haffi come a Passa Passa, come eat and drink and party wid we," said Rosie, another Tivoli Gardens resident.

However, since the flare up of violence in Arnett Gardens which was shoved to the fore on Good Friday with the murders of two persons including Anthony 'Chuncie' Folkes, residents of that community have stayed away from Passa Passa.

"Wi have nuff fren and some a wi have family up inna Jungle so dis ting is hurtful to us," a resident of Denham Town concluded.