On Monday November 17, 2008, as I sat and watched TVJ’s Prime Time News, my mouth dropped open and my eyes watered. This did not happen because the presenter looked that good but because of the news of the brutal slaying of a 17 year old male 4th form student at the Dunoon Technical High School.
For me it was a bitter sweet announcement by the presenter. Bitter it was because another student was slain (stabbed to death) by another student all in the name of a cell phone. Sweet it was because this incident did not unfold at Kingston College.
I was prompted to write this article because this one incident brought up some memories that made me think that an incident of this nature could have easily taken place at KC. Five incidents ran through my mind when I saw the news, five incidents that involved Kingston College students on or off the compound.
The first of these five incidents that took place involving KC students was in the school year 2001/2002, then, when I was a member of the 6th form. KC students turned up for school that Tuesday morning to the news that a male student from the Dunoon Technical high School was chopped to death by Kingston College students. For me, that was an immediate sign that KC was loosing the battle of creating, what Bishop P. W. Gibson had dreamed of when he said that he wanted to create strong Christian gentlemen facilitated by this great institution.
The second such incident happened on the school compound on the Melbourne Park Campus. A grade 9 student pulled a knife and stabbed a grade 9 student in the side of his abdomen (almost puncturing his lungs) sending him to the hospital. The student that did the stabbing is the son of a former Kingston College and West Indies cricketer. Even though the student survived and the attacker was transferred out of the school, it still drives fear in the hearts of many. The fact that he was able to carry a weapon on the school compound says a lot about the safety and security of students and staff.
The third of such incidents happened on North Street when a KC 4th form student stabbed a St. Georges College student leaving him fighting to survive. For such an incident to have happened, it must have meant that the student had to have carried that weapon to school. The incident triggered a wave of violent outburst between the students of KC and St. Georges College. Both schools however resolved the situation through meetings with the Principals, Guidance Counselors and other persons representing the institutions. An incident of this nature should not have happened as St. Georges College is one of our closest neighbours and ally.
The fourth incident took place recently on the North Street campus when a group of 6th formers were attacked at the canteen by a group of 5th form students. The incident escalated when the 5th form students pulled knives and the 6th formers in defense pulled ice-picks. Even though the 6th formers were acting in self defense, the fact that there were weapons on the compound once again drives fear in the hearts of many.
The fifth and final event that took place was an incident that took place INSIDE the Half Way Tree Transport Center (and if you know the design of the transport center you will understand what I am talking about). It was reported by eyewitnesses that a group of KC students chased a single Calabar student, all armed with knives, inside the transport center. Persons inside the transport center scampered for cover as gunshots rang out. These shots were fired in the air by police officers present in the transport center in an effort to disperse the mob of KC students (as reported by eyewitnesses).
For me, these incidents made me think again and started reconsidering my employment at Kingston College (the school I love so much). As a student attending KC in the 1990’s, I never thought that I would be able to see these things happening. Everyday I turned up for school and for History class in particular in Grade 7, myself and the rest of the class would be drilled on what a great institution KC is and yes I agree that it is a great institution. These incidents used to happen so far apart but now it is happening more frequently.
Everyday we (and yes “we” as I include myself) sit down and talk about what a great school this is and what used to happen “back in the days” and yes I use back in the days because we (KC) are living on past glory. I think it is time that we step up and do something about this situation that is destroying the reputation of our school. KC is indeed one of a kind and we cannot afford to lose the battle that is facing us at this time.
I started my article with “Can we or Will we” for one reason. With the challenges that we are facing I had to ask the question and with the euphoria surrounding the election of Barack Obama to the most powerful office in the world (that of the President of the United States of America) with his slogan “yes we can”, the question was indeed fitting. Following up on Obama’s campaign slogan and Usain Bolt’s victories at the recent Beijing Olympics Jamaica’s Prime Minister The Honourable Bruce Golding ended his speech at the JLP’s party conference after speaking on the issues affecting the country by saying “in the words of Barack Obama I say yes we can and in the words of our own Usain Bolt I say yes we will”. When I asked my own questions, this was what led me to the title as I ask now, “can we have a better KC in the future or will we have a better KC in the future?” I deliberately placed the Prime Minister’s response before my question as I would like to respond as well. In my response I must answer by saying that “I hope we can see a better KC in the future or rather I hope we will see a better KC in the future.
