Norwood residents ready to flee

While they welcome the latest curfew imposed in the volatile Norwood community, residents in the Hollywood and Dacatone Square areas told THE WEEKEND STAR that they were still living in fear.

"Is a shame and disgrace fi know seh a di Minister of National Security, Dr Horace Chang, is wi member of parliament, and yet a pure killing an shooting a gwan up yah," one female vendor said. "As soon as dis yah curfew up pon Saturday, mi and my family a leave this yah area, because things a get out a hand."

She added "When a nuh inna Norwood the crime a gwan, a round wi area, because a just weekend dem kill people a Albion, and pon Sunday, dem hold three boy a hotel room pon Queens Drive with big gun, an all a dem area deh join Norwood community."

At least eight other residents said that come Monday morning, they too will be moving out of the Norwood community with their families.

"Mi boss, if you did live up yah so you would a move long time. Is a shame fi see the youth them a patrol the street dem a night time wid dem big gun, like dem a police or dem a soldier," one male shopkeeper stated. "Wi have soldier camp right ova deh suh, and di soldier dem a patrol di place, but di youth dem don't care. Is like dem nuh respect no one. As far as mi see it, is like dem don't even fear dem life."

He added that a number of residents, including him, don't have relatives in other communities, so they are forced to stay and face the danger.

One senior cop told THE WEEKEND STAR that between the end of 2020 to March, more than 15 persons have been murdered in Norwood.

"Despite not having a murder in Norwood over the past week, investigations have linked several men from the Norwood community to a number of crimes within the parish, so the joint police-military forces will be making a clean sweep of the area in search of wanted men, and illegal weapons," the cop stated. He noted that Norwood, Salt Spring, Flankers and Cambridge contribute to most of the murders, gang violence, and other criminal activities in St James annually.