The role of area leaders

Keith Noel, Contributor

I USED to be principal of a prominent high school in Spanish Town. In the community where the school is located, there were a few persons who could be described as 'area leaders', if one stretched the term. In other inner-city areas where I have had some fairly close connection with the people, I have met other young men who can also be so described. I have been thinking of these persons quite a bit since our minds have been focused on the significance of men like 'Dudus' in the social fabric.

It would be impossible for us to create a society in which communities do not have area leaders. In fact, it would be detrimental. In human groupings, especially in those like what we have in our inner-city communities, some persons will emerge as leaders of the community. There were personality traits that were common to all the young men of whom I speak. They were all intelligent, all had tremendous physical 'presence', all saw themselves as having a serious role to play in their communities. Yet, there were sometimes other factors that made them differ significantly each from the other.

In Spanish Town, for example, one of these young men had become a 'shotta' and was feared by many in the community. I was troubled by this development in him because when he was younger, I had been struck by his native intelligence, his proactive stance, his exuberance and his charm. He, eventually, was killed by the police. Another, also intelligent, charming and committed to his community, had got 'involved' and is now in jail. A third was the opposite. He had become a teacher and was, while still a fairly young man, viewed by some with the kind of respect one usually reserves for senior citizens. The fourth was the most interesting. He had started off on the road to badness, had been in 'bad company' in the United States, but when he returned, he reformed himself and became a force for peace and well thinking in the community. He became 'linked' to a positive, creative and passionate young woman and, in the last few years, the two have been the driving force that kept the Premier League football team alive and, literally, kicking.

I had met, although not as intimately, men and women in other areas: in Grants Pen; In Maverley; in 75 Lane, who had the same qualities of leadership. So I know that my community in Spanish Town was not unique. There were many other wonderful young people in that place, some had done well at school and were college and university students and graduates. There were also some who were drifting, almost lost and those who had 'gone bad' and become members of the gang that 'controlled' most of Spanish Town. But the men I speak of are those about whom I am concerned most. These men (and in some cases, women) were those with natural leadership qualities who had evolved into area leaders.

Seek ways to harness leadership qualities

There seems to be little in our education system or in the way we have organised ourselves in this society to harness that leadership and guide it along positive lines; to give scope to the creativity that is innate in these people; to encourage them and give them opportunity to grow and to flourish. Somehow, in our education system, in our social system, we have to find ways to prevent those with leadership potential from thinking that the way to serve their community is by doing things like 'taxing' those who have some money, and giving some of the ill-gotten gains to the neediest in the community; and by coercing its members into behaving how they believe they should behave.

It is true that some of these young people - and I think of men like 'Floydie' in Spanish Town and 'English' in Grants Pen - have been able to use the opportunity given to them in high school and contribute in a major way. But these men were very competent academically. There are others who, although intelligent, do not fit into the academic mould as well. We neglect to harness their innate talents and to train them for positive leadership at our peril. I still mourn the loss of human potential when 'Carvel' was shot by the police.

Keith Noel is an educator. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.