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Karyl WalkerMonday, July 08, 2013RAY James is a worried man, a sad man, a desperate man.After operating a small farm for 27 years in the impoverished and oftentimes volatile community of March Pen Road off the Spanish Town Bypass in St Catherine, he is to be displaced by a new housing development which will encompass the small space he works on.“It dread. Them tell me to move mi farm because the development coming,” James told the Jamaica Observer.The March Pen Road area is known as a haven for the infamous Klansman gang, which rules with terror in many communities in and on the outskirts of the old capital.A drive through the community revealed that unemployment is high. Many young men and women were seen walking about with apparently little to do, even though some road work was being carried out on the main road in the area.The lure of crime might be tempting, even if dangerous, but for James his love of farming has kept him on the straight and narrow for most of his 56 years.On the little plot that stretches about 100 metres long and 10 metres wide, James cultivates callaloo, okras, tomatoes, hot peppers, and pak choi which he sells to members of the community.In addition, he tends to coconut and soursop trees.“I use this to feed my family of five. My big daughter has just graduated, but two of my other children are still in school,” he said.But James’ source of income might be threatened when developers bring in their heavy equipment to begin construction on the Bernard Lodge Housing project for which ground will be broken on July 16.“A lot of us are glad for the development as we might be able to get some work. Many of the youths have no job, and when they have work that will keep them out of trouble, and give the police less work,” he acknowledged.The project, which is reportedly near oversubscription, is being developed by the Housing Agency of Jamaica Limited (HAJ) while the contractors will be Malphrus International, IBC.It will see 1,584 units — 980 studios going for $4 million each, and 604 one-bedroom houses which will be valued at $4.9 million — being built. Construction is slated to begin in August.Ray James tends to his callaloo plot in March Pen Road. (PHOTO: KARL MCLARTY)
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How needed development will displace a trying farmer
