By Dwayne Mcleod, Staff Reporter

Desmond McKenzie

In the aftermath of the fatal shooting of five men from their community on Sunday, residents of Tivoli Gardens in Kingston say that they have been betrayed.

They are furious at councillor for their division and Mayor of Kingston, Desmond McKenzie, accusing him of siding with the security forces based on statements he made to the media.

Mayor McKenzie had told the media after the incident that the operation was conducted in a professional manner.

While in the community yesterday, he told THE STAR that "I'm just here to ensure that the community respect the police while they carry out their duty, we want to ensure that things are done professionally."

Five men were on Sunday fatally shot and a police officer and a soldier injured in what police reports summarise as a gunfight with gunmen in the community.

Nine illegal firearms were also reportedly seized in the incident, which residents are describing as murder.

The police further report that they had gone into the community in search of wanted men. Two of the dead men were identified as 24-year-old Kwesi Cunningham and 20-year-old Roland Mitchell, also known as Randy, both from west Kingston.

The names of the other men were not released up to press time.

When THE STAR visited the community yesterday, members of the security forces were not present, suggesting that calm had returned.

However a group of residents who converged on Spanish Town Road, held nothing back as they recalled the incident. They first lashed out at the security forces before directing their words of fury towards the mayor.

"A traitor that, him a mek some talk like him waa go roun our ting eno," one resident simply said.

Other residents say they can clearly remember instances when Mayor McKenzie would stick by their side no matter what. This time around, they say it is totally different.

"A wha happen to McKenzie, is like him a side wid di police and soldier and a support dem...Him well an know seh a foolishness dem gwaan wid yesterday and all now wi nuh hear him a lick out pon dem. Everything him seh is like him want fi seh is a good job dem do," one resident said.

"A wha now, usually Desmond back wi to di fullest, now it come in like seh a nuh nuttin big to him...A wha so, a true him party inna power now so him done get weh him want already."

Inside the community, the talks were the same as another resident Joysaid, "Wi can tek simple things and mark death enuh...look pon dis, wi seh di helicopter fire shot afta wi and him come and a seh a lie we a tell di helicopter neva fire nuh shot..We look like fool," she said.

Mayor McKenzie could not be reached for a comment as THE STAR team tried for hours to contact him. A visit to his office also yielded no success also as upon arrival we were told that he was not in.

Meanwhile, some other residents noted that they will be watching the situation before any serious judgement is passed on their councillor.

"Right ya now wi a talk how wi really feel, but wi a watch and si what really a gwaan tho..Wi naw seh nuttin too tough yet," Petera resident explained.