Bull Bay under siege - St Thomas community hobbled by crime and violence

Residents of Eleven Miles in Bull Bay, St Thomas, say they are under siege by a deadly gang war which they say has been going on for one year.

THE STAR recently visited several sections of the crime-torn community where the residents opened up about the devastating impact the crime and violence have been having on their economic and social lives.

A businesswoman said she has suffered significant revenue loss since the start of the year.

"Thank God mi no have no baby a send go school, because mi lose over $300,000 so far because a di war weh a gwane. Normally dis road would be busy, especially during the evening hours, but due to how things stay now, yuh nah see nobody a walk now," said the shopkeeper.

The streets of Eleven Miles are reportedly deserted my nightfall, well ahead of the 8 p.m. start of the islandwide curfew that has been imposed to slow the spread of COVID-19.

"Everybody fear fi dem life because by 5 o'clock everybody gone inside dem yard. Yuh look pon di road coming up? Okay! And round yah suh nuh normally stay suh... Dis a gwane from bout last year November, and every minute yuh hear a next set a gunshot," a resident said.

A 50-year-old farmer said he is considering relocation. He said that he feels helpless knowing that criminals can strike at any time. What is even worse is that he has no idea why gunshots are being fired and blood is being shed in his community.

"Mi siddung yah so over two hours now a think about mi next moves because mi really no feel safe a farm again. If mi get some weh else today mi gone same time," he said.

A high school student said that the situation is particularly unsettling for her.

"It is affecting me a lot because sometimes I find it hard to concentrate. I live here but I don't know what is going on because I try to stay inside my house as much as possible, but that is still not enough. There are times when I have to spend a week or two at an aunt in Kingston in order to have peace and quiet," the student said.

A bar owner, along the busy Bull Bay main road, told our news team that he has had to change five employees since the start of the year.

"The girls dem no really want to stay," he said adding that "dem say dem cyah deal with di violence."

"Most of dem weh a war dem one another don't feel like dem have a future. Dem a friends who nah work, who nuh have education and who cyah even maintain a decent job. About three days wah day mi affi close dung mi bar because of dis needless war," he said.

Like others in the community who have suffered financial loss, the businessman is praying for the dawn of a new morning in Eleven Miles.