Students of Iris Gelly Primary School, in Arnett Gardens, St. Andrew, enter the auditorium just before performing a poem at Thursday's opening ceremony for the school's newly constructed library, reading room and auditorium facilities. - Photo by Ross Sheil

They are young, bright and talented, and even in front of former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and Member of Parliament, Dr. Omar Davies, they were not afraid to let their emotions known.

"People must stop the fighting. Let us bury our anger and live in unity," they sang.

Violence in Arnett Gardens has kept many students away from school in recent months and many still live in fear due to the continuing war over turf between factions in the community.

While it may not be the best song for the dedication and opening ceremony for the new library, reading room and auditorium at the Iris Gelly Primary School in Arnett Gardens, St. Andrew, it was a peace cry for the war-torn community.

Mr. Patterson, who like Dr. Davies, spoke after the children performed, appealed to the South St. Andrew constituency to look out for its children.

"This area has produced great men and great women," Mr. Patterson said of South St. Andrew during the ceremony on Thursday.

"This wider community must continue to be a garden where the talent of our young people can flourish," the former Prime Minister continued.

"Stop calling yourself 'Junglist'. You don't come from no jungle," he told persons.

Mr. Patterson reasoned that there was a time when people protested against having their communities being named after storage places for goats. Out of such protests, Denham Town, formerly Denham Pen was renamed, as was Jones Town which was fomerly Jones Pen.

Rare speaking event

It was a rare speaking event for Mr. Patterson, who has been a commercial consultant since his departure from active politics last March.

Meanwhile, Dr. Davies, the Member of Parliament for the constituency, said the ongoing gang war in the constituency was traumatic, and pledged to do whatever he could to take back the community for the children.

"We are taking back our community. We are doing it for the children. We have an obligation to give them a chance to be what they can be," Dr. Davies said.

The school, named for social worker Iris Gelly, was founded in 1976. Just fewer than 1,000 students are enrolled at the institution which is manned by an academic staff of 26 teachers.