Baptiste: Good will win over evil in Ottley Hall

Good shall conquer evil in the Ottley Hall community and the negative influences will not be allowed to have their way in the lives of the young men of the community.{{more}}

This was the declaration of Parliamentary Representative for the area, Minister of Culture Rene Baptiste.

She has expressed her disappointment over the shooting death last week of 22-year-old Shereen Clouden, who was shot in the back of her head last Wednesday, December 3, in Ottley Hall, vowing to do all that is possible to push back the cancer of violence that seems determined to consume the Ottley Hall community.

“I am disappointed that crime and violence is trying to push away the good work being done by the Urban League,” she told SEARCHLIGHT.

The Ottley Hall Urban League was formed in 2005 aimed at challenging the energies of the young people of Ottley Hall into positives, and away from the lure of gang related, and other negative influences.

With two football teams, two cricket teams, a netball team, and an environmental group under its charge, the Urban League, led by Shawn Frederick, has been making a positive difference in the community.

However, last week’s shooting of Shereen Clouden is believed to be another example of an ongoing battle involving gang related incidents and drugs, in what one police source refers to as a hotspot community.

Minister Baptiste told SEARCHLIGHT that she intends to continue to push the youth development programme in the community and will also be working on implementing parenting skills programme.

She is concerned about the young people who are tackling the important job of parenting, woefully unprepared.

Baptiste told SEARCHLIGHT that she is also against the name “Baghdad” which is attached to the community, which seeks to celebrate the negatives.

One area of concern in the Ottley Hall community, SEARCHLIGHT understands, is in the vicinity of the public bath, but soon, that spot will be a source of positive vibes, Baptiste said.

She said that the bath will be turned into a club house for the Urban League.

Two Ottley Hall youngsters, Atiba Bess 16, and Kamal Moore 21, have been remanded in custody until March 17, 2009, when the preliminary hearing into Clouden’s murder will begin.

The two appeared before Chief Magistrate Sonya Young in the Serious Offences Court last Monday, December 8.