Port Loyola residents destroy controversial fence
It can hardly be compared to the destruction of the Berlin Wall but for many members of the Port Loyola community, tearing down a fence in their area was both significant and emotional. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
After months of public outcry, on Thursday night frustrations over the fence surrounding the basketball court at the Corner of Faber’s Road and Central American Boulevard and the adjacent Port Loyola Pre-School climaxed as members of the Port Loyola community took matters into their own hands.
The demolition was spearheaded by community activist and political aspirant Erwin X.
Erwin X, Political Aspirant, Port Loyola
“This is a danger zone. There’s a war going on in Port and so we gotta find a way without talk and politics to address the situation and we’ll work as quickly and as fast as possible to rebuild the chain link fence.”
Marion Ali
“Some people will say you tek right mek wrong.”
Erwin X
“Well I noh really feel that I wah tek right mek wrong. When we’re wrong, we’re wrong and when we’re right, we’re right and breaking it down was not right. It was the best solution to this situation.”
The situation is that a number of people feel the fence poses a threat to law abiding citizens as the perpetrators of attacks in the area have hidden behind the structure in order to ambush their victims. But concerns heightened in the aftermath of the murder of sixteen year old Faron Felix last Friday night. The teenager was shot four times by a still unidentified gunman who had waited behind the fence. At the time, police told us they were unable meet the residents’ demands.
[December 7th, 2007]
Supt. Aaron Guzman, Officer Commanding C.I.B.
“We do find certain areas to be problematic areas and if suggestions are made by us it’s only suggestions because we have to realize that we are not the owners of those properties, noh.”
With that response, it was no surprise that following Felix’s funeral on Thursday afternoon, the fence took the brunt of the public’s ire. And with the outcry have come the politicians. After Erwin X stopped swinging the maul, today private contractors hired by People’s United Party Standard Bearer Oscar Rosado showed up to take measurements to replace the cement with chain link.
But whatever material is used, removing or rebuilding the fence will not eradicate crime in the area. Following her son’s death, Therese Felix had this message for her community.
[December 7th, 2007]
Therese Felix, Mother of Murder Victim
“I hope when fu deh turn come deh could tek it because I know yu got a lot of mothers out deh weh the encourage deh children inn wrong. Wait fi their day come and see if deh wah could stand tall like how we di stand tall.”
Marion Ali
“That’s not a threat right?”
Therese Felix
“I noh di threaten nobody. I just di tell them because I know deh have mothers out di encourage wrong so I just di tell them that one of these days ih wah knock dah their day just like how ih knock dah fi we day.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Marion Ali.
Up to news time tonight police were investigating the demolition of the fence to determine whether or not any crime was committed and if any charges will be filed against anyone that was swinging a maul.
