“An Inspired Reality” Bucknor community rising above crime & violence

JSIF News, February 18, 2009: 

Late last year, the community of Bucknor in Clarendon was a hotbed of crime and violence. However, since the latter part of December to present, this situation has taken a dramatic turn for the better.

According to Solomon Scille, President of the Bucknor Concerned Citizens Association this turn of events can be attributed to the partnership amongst the Association, the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and the Police.

Mr. Scille stated that since the infrastructural works relating to the Bucknor multi-purpose court and the Bucknor Integrated Infrastructure Package projects have begun, there has been less crime and violence, particularly as it relates to domestic violence which usually heads the list. He noted that, “most people want a slice of the cake so they get involved whether or not they are being paid”.

Superintendent Dayton Henry of the May Pen Police, confirmed Mr. Scille’s statement, informing that “since the start of the year, there have been no murders in the Bucknor community”. Supt. Henry revealed that there has been a general downturn in all other crimes, noting that many of the criminals who were contributing to the alarming increase in the community’s crime rate were taken down. Furthermore, he reports that the police have been working in tandem with the community through the staging of peace talks and dances as well as by engaging the youth.

The May Pen Crime Chief also pointed to the JSIF constructed playfield and highlighted that this will play a significant role in crime reduction in the Bucknor community. This he stated, will be achieved through the social activities that will staged there and will act as a preventative measure in averting criminal activities.

The Bucknor football field that was expanded and upgraded.  

Overall, approximately 90 persons will be employed during the JSIF implemented Inner City Basic Services Project (ICBSP) intervention in the Bucknor community. To date, the rehabilitation of the Bucknor football field has been completed while works are now being carried out for the Bucknor Multi-purpose building and the Bucknor Integrated Package.

Prudence Kidd-Deans, JSIF Board Member breaking ground for the construction of the Bucknor Multi-purpose Complex, while Solomon Scille, President of the Bucknor Concerned Citizens Association is standing by with a shovel to give assistance.

The Bucknor Multi-purpose building is being constructed at a cost of J$56.5 million and will comprise a meeting hall, library, shops, kitchen, office and male and female restrooms. Upon completion, it will be used as an income generating facility for the community. Meanwhile, the Bucknor Integrated Infrastructure Package consists of the construction and rehabilitation of water networks, roads and storm water infrastructure at a cost of J$44 million.

Road works have already begun in the Bucknor community.. 

The Education, Youth and Recreation component of the intervention is ongoing and caters to students who are between the ages of 11 and 12 years old to improve their mastery level in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) and remedial reading programme.

The first batch of students to graduate from the Bucknor GSAT/Homework Programme. Sharing in the moment are Gene Shaw, ICBSP Project Manager and Scarlette Gillings, JSIF’s Managing Director. 

The Bucknor community is also slated to benefit from the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo) electricity regularization thrust which is being carried out in collaboration with the JSIF. Approximately 100 households in the community have been targeted for this process and JSPCo. has committed to expanding the grid as the present infrastructure is inadequate.

The ICBSP is funded through a US$29.3 million soft loan from the World Bank with counterpart funding of US$ 3.5 million from the Government of Jamaica, of this amount, J$138 has been allocated to carry out interventions in the Bucknor community. The ICBSP project is scheduled for completion in 2011.