Hannah Town residents clean up burnt-out police station

More than 30 residents and youth club members from Hannah Town, Kingston, joined forces yesterday in a special Labour Day project to clean up the Hannah Town Police Station and Hannah Town Learning Network Centre. They are hoping to revive what was once an integral part of their community, which that has now become a ghost town.

Exactly one year ago, shortly before the security forces stormed Tivoli Gardens in a bid to capture Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, thugs attacked the Hannah Town Police Station with heavy gunfire and set it ablaze. One policeman was shot and injured. The station was destroyed, and today only a shell full of junk serves as a reminder of its existence.

"The youth and citizens have started the clean-up work to show how serious we are about getting back the station and centre. We are hoping that our efforts will be taken seriously and the commissioner, member of parliament and the private sector will come in and rebuild it," said District Constable Fay 'Babsy' Francis-Campbell, who served at the station for 11 years before it was destroyed.

Good relationship

Since its demise, the residents say break-ins have gone up in the community and the women were afraid to walk the streets at nights. They said the station, which had served the community for more than 50 years, was a safe haven for them and kept crime under control.

"It is the oldest building, part of our history. It is essential in every way," said resident Jennifer Henry.

"We always had a good relationship with the police officers. We used to sleep over there, carry food for them. It never come in like a police station the way how we live good; just one big family," added Grace McNeil.

Eleven-year-old Daniel Raphael and his friends said they needed the learning centre.

"We feel happy to be cleaning up the place. We want the centre to open back," he said.

The learning centre, which was launched in February 2009, had 69 youth aged six to 18 enrolled in its programme at the time it was destroyed.

The residents said Francis-Campbell, who is now stationed at Denham Town, was one of the most active members of the community, leading the youth club, assisting the children with their homework, among other activities.