By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterSEVERAL SCHOOLS in the Jones Town and Arnett Gardens communities of south St. Andrew were forced to suspend classes yesterday, while several students who were scheduled to sit Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) exams were trapped at their homes following another clash between rival gun gangs.
"I had to ask the police to visit the homes of two of the students who were supposed to sit exams. Up to 9:00 a.m. they did not show up," said Dennis Kelly, principal of Charlie Smith High. Amid the mounting tension, the CXC exam centre at Trench Town High remained opened yesterday to facilitate students who showed for their exams.
Reports are that schools such as Jackson's Basic School on Penn Street began sending home students about midmorning, immediately after gunmen shot and injured 50-year-old Marlene Carter. Classes at Jones Town and Iris Gelly primary schools and Trench Town High were also affected.
Residents told The Gleaner that gunmen from one of the rival gangs fired through a window at Ms. Carter's house. The bullet hit her in the neck. She has since been hospitalised. The shooting immediately intensified the rift between the Jones Town and 'Top Jungle' gang.
Yesterday's shootings which disrupted classes represented the second time in less than a month that violence in south St. Andrew had affected schools. Following the intervention of the Member of Parliament Dr. Omar Davies and National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips, the area was saturated with heavily armed security personnel.
Police were detailed to maintain a strong presence at the schools in the area, while patrols were put in place to provide a safe passage for students travelling to and from school. But checks with some teachers yesterday revealed that after the first week, the police presence disappeared from school premises.
Yesterday, many of the major roadways in the community were blocked.
