Residents say housing is Cockburn Gardens’ biggest problem
Cockburn Gardens, formerly Cockburn Pen, is located off Waltham Park Road in Kingston 11. It is the birthplace of dancehall Supercat and other wellknown entertainers.
Unfortunately, the community was also known as one of the toughest places in St Andrew that was troubled with gang-related violence, which resulted in a string of fiery attacks and murders. Those days are long gone, according to Conroy Spence, as he prepares jerked chicken on the sidewalk. His only issue are the old broken-down houses and makeshift fences.
“There are lots of zinc and broken-down fences that make the area have a poor and depressing look, but we are quite the opposite. We are a set of hard-working people, and all we need is better housing. A lot of people still have outside toilets, although they are flushable toilets, and even outside bathroom, too,” he said.
Similar sentiments were echoed by an elderly man who told THE STAR that their political representatives, Andrew Holness and Delroy Williams, have the area’s best interest at heart. However, he hopes they will address the housing situation in the near future.
HOUSING ISSUE
“Nah go tell no lie, we couldn’t asked for a better MP (member of parliament) or councillor because them give us proper road and we nuh have water or light problem. A just the housing mi would want to see fix because more time me wonder how some a them house here stand up inna storm because a donkey years dem deh here. Sometimes yuh see dem and dem lean up, and by the next day, dem stand up straight. We nah look no handout, but we would just want even some a the housing scheme ting dem,” he said.
Spence also stated that he would like to see the day when the community lifts itself above the negative image that it is known for. He added that although the area has been violence-free for a while, Cockburn Gardens continues to be stigmatised.
“’Round here, a just peace and love the youth dem a promote. Any stranger can come here come live and feel comfortable. We nuh deal with the don ting, but no house can’t get bruk inna ’round here, and no woman can’t get raped. Like most ghetto, Cockburn Pen just have a stigma weh mi would wah see lift up and gwaan ’bout it business,” Spence said.