The elite, poor, rich and middle class of Mandeville were all one as they filed into the New Beulah Moravian Church on Brumalia Road in Mandeville on Friday, December 11, to bid farewell to businessman Vincent Young.

Mr Young was gunned down and robbed by armed gunmen in front of his business place on Man-chester Road on the evening of November 15, while his terrified wife looked on. He was one of 35 people murdered in the parish so far this year, with the majority meeting their deaths by way of the gun.

Mr Young's murder sent shockwaves through the business community and drew the wrath of the town's citizens. This led to several businessmen and other licensed firearm holders threatening to form a group to protect themselves from gunmen and other criminals.

No confidence in police

One businessman, who operates several stores in the town, told The Gleaner that the town's business sector has lost confidence in the Mandeville police and their ability to put a halt to the worsening crime problem. He, along with custos of the parish, Gilbert Allen, and some members of the Manchester Parish Council, expressed a desire for the return of Senior Superintendent George Quallo to the parish.

The businessman said the people had confidence in Quallo and, as a result, they passed information to him without fear of any breach of confidentiality.

While the nearly 2,000 people, who turned up to pay their last respects, listened to the numerous tributes, it was a comment from Reverend Errol Gentles that drew immediate response and applause. Gentles told the gathering, "As we ponder the tragic death of Mr Young, we may be excused if we become angry, for surely no one so kind and gentle should have met such a tragic end to his life."

Severe lust for blood

In her contribution, councillor for the Mandeville division, Sally Porteous, said it appeared that gunmen have a severe lust for blood, and it was time for them to feel the wrath of society.

Pointing out that Mr Young left behind his wife, Blossom, and five children, who did not deserve to live the rest of their lives with the pain of losing him in such a manner, vice-president of the Manchester Chamber of Com-merce, Keith Smith, called for the authorities to declare war on the criminals of the country, and let the voices of those who speak for the good people of Jamaica be heard, and not only those voices which defend the criminals.

Mr Smith, who is also an attorney, dismissed the notion that poverty among Jamaica's people is the root cause of the present crime wave. He said poor people, in years gone by, were not necessarily satisfied with their situation, but they did not go around with guns, robbing and killing people.

Mr Young was remembered as a kind and generous person, who loved and treasured his family and was partly responsible for the installation of cameras in the town to assist the police in fighting crime. His funeral came on the heels of the killing of a policeman, Constable Toussaint James, of the Mandeville police-station, less than a quarter mile from where Young was killed.

- Angelo Laurence