ORLANDO Hamilton, a former gang member who has shrugged off the temptation of criminality, is urging gangsters to change their ways.

Hamilton was part of an eight-member gang based in the Burgher Gully community in East Kingston. Five of his former cronies are now dead - either killed by gunmen or lawmen's bullets.

He told the story of his turn- around during the final session of a recent two-day symposium at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston, which was organised by the security ministry and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to form
a strategy to prevent the formation of gangs in communities and schools.

"Jamaica is tired of the killings. Our lives are too precious to be wasted on foolishness. You should concentrate on getting some education," Hamilton said.

Hamilton told of a life of crime which began when he was influenced into peddling marijuana by a friend. He then moved on to other forms of petty crimes, before graduating into the world of gangsterism. But after three years as a full-fledged gangster, Hamilton's life took a turn for the better.

"I met Damien Hutchinson from the Peace Management Initiative (PMI) in 2002, and that's where the transformation began," he said.

Hamilton, a 29-year-old father of two, is now a volunteer with the PMI and the Dispute Resolution Foundation. He also works with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) as a youth peace facilitator.

"I go into schools and communities to help youngsters with conflict resolution," Hamilton said.

Hamilton was also instrumental in brokering peace between warring factions in the often volatile Mountain View community where dozens of persons have been killed in the last eight years.

Mountain View has been relatively peaceful since a peace treaty was signed between warring factions from the Jacques Road, 63 Mountain View Avenue, Back Bush and Top Range communities who were at loggerheads with gangs based in the

Burgher Gully, Jarrett Lane, Thorbourne Lane and McGregor Gully communities.

He is also actively involved in the building of the security ministry-funded Ivor Rowe Basic School and plays a leading role in the Future Generation Youth Club, both based in Burgher Gully. He is also a founding member of the Eastern Peace Centre and has organised a sorrel and corn farm in the community which is manned by youths from the community, who also go to school.

"They are told to do it and they have to do it because of the respect that I have earned in the community," he said with a wry smile.

Hamilton is now pursuing a diploma in youth development at the University of the West Indies Social Work Training Centre.