AN ARMED GUNMAN NEXT?

MONTEGO BAY, St James — The killing of prominent People's National Party (PNP) activist Kenley 'Bebe' Stephens has left the party's organisation in St James in shock.

Yesterday, party officials mourned the killing with chairman of the PNP's Region Six, Dr DK Duncan, remarking that Stephens made a meaningful contribution to the party.

"Like most persons, we are saddened by his passing. He has made significant contribution to the PNP, through the youth organisation and the West Central St James constituency," Dr Duncan reflected.

Meanwhile, West Central Member of Parliament Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams, who expressed unease about the violent manner in which the nation's youths are dying, argued that Stephens was not only a party man, but a zealous community worker.

"We are very shocked and hurt at his sudden and violent death. We are concerned about the horrific way in which our young men are dying, not only in St James, but in the nation," Folkes-Abrahams told the Jamaica Observer.

"He was at the Regional Executive Council in Montego Bay on Sunday and the Labour Day project (on Friday) where he was there joking around and riding a horse. He has always been enthusiastic about community activities. He will be sadly missed," Folkes-Abrahams lamented.

Meanwhile, in a release from the PNP secretariat -- which extended condolences to Stephens' relatives and friends -- the need for a sustained fight on crime was articulated.

"This latest killing confirms that while strides are being made in the fight against violent crimes and all criminality, we still have a long way in the journey to victory against criminals," the release read.

Members of Stephens' native Granville community were also shocked by his tragic passing.

"It is a very sombre mood in Granville, everybody is mourning. Bebe was a very popular man in Granville and the entire St James," Michael Troupe, the PNP councillor for the Granville Division, told the Observer.

The above is a report  in the Observer of the reaction on the 27th May 2014 of the governing People's National Party (PNP) to the murder  of one of their vice presidents in the western section.

Interestingly, this governing party had no words of regret to the murder of a nine year old child days before and one wonders if his death was not regretted as he had not achieved the necessary heights of crime to be considered important to the politicians  in that part of Jamaica? For this is how the Gleaner paints the same Stevens who is being lauded by the governing party,  "The colourful Stephenson, who was quite prominent on the social circuit in western Jamaica, has had several run-ins with law over the years.

Accusations against him have ranged from illegal abstraction of electricity to lottery scamming.

Following his May 2012 arrest by the Anti-Lottery Scam Task Force, Superintendent Leon Clunie described him as a major player in the scam.

"Bebe is one of the founders of the illegal lottery scam," said Clunie, the head of task force at the time. "He has been living a luxurious lifestyle, yet he has never, from our understanding, been employed in any of the services in Jamaica."

With that type of individual being held up as a role model  by the ruling party in the west, I suppose we should not be surprised if a known gunman is elected to replace him there soon!

Thank heavens the western PNP hierarchy  disassociated itself from Jamaica by removing the green from the flag at the swearing in of their mayor for it would be a sad day for Jamaica if that lot was held up to represent the type of politicians that are acceptable in this country!