One of St. Thomas' most crime-ridden communities is going to be cleaned up, according to Attorney General Iver Stridiron. Following yet another shooting in Savan, Stridiron promised Thursday that law enforcement will seek to reduce loitering, drug dealing and other activities that have become commonplace and have caused many complaints in that community.
In the most recent incident, James "Ska Lion" Furlong was shot four times on Gamble Gade, a winding roadway in the heart of Savan. Stridiron said Furlong would likely survive the attack but that incidents of gunplay have become disturbingly frequent.
"At the scene Thursday, I spoke to a merchant who said the victim of the shooting may be a homeless man," Stridiron said.
He promised to confer with commissioners of police and Public Works about how to attack the most obvious problems in Savan, which he believes contribute to the climate of lawlessness.
Some areas, he said, have deteriorated to the point where law enforcement is impaired by abandoned buildings, debris and brush, which Stridiron said provide cover for those involved in drugs and violence. "We are going to wage war on this type of activity," he said.
There are others just as anxious as Stridiron to clean up the Savan area. A member of the government's abandoned vehicle task force, Daryl Lewis of the Property and Procurement Department said some already has been done and that he need only get the word from the proper authorities to do more.
"Six months ago with the help of inmates we were in Savan and removed a large number of cars and other debris," he said.
Savan is among the oldest residential communities on St. Thomas. While many of its original families have moved out, their members continue to display an active interest in what happens in the historic neighborhood. Daryl George, the president of the firefighters union, counts himself among those working to improve conditions there, especially for young people.
Noting the work he and fellow firefighters have done to repair a basketball court, George believes that a lack of activities for youth helps breed crime.
Ironically, Savan is one of several neighborhoods designated an enterprise zone. The government will provide tax and other incentives to those agreeing to rehabilitate existing structures or start new businesses there.
