Persons who usually would have attended parties in the Half-Way Tree, St Andrew area, either leading up to or following the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Championships, will have to shake their legs elsewhere this year. The police have banned all parties associated with the event's 100th staging.

Speaking with THE WEEKEND STAR yesterday, Superintendent Derrick "Cowboy" Knight, head of the St Andrew Central Division, said that the decision to bar all parties was taken by the Police High Command and would be enforced to the fullest degree.

deny permission

In a release that was issued yesterday by the Jamaica Consta-bulary Force (JCF), the police noted that they have made the decision to deny permission for all school marches during the week of Champs. The release also spoke to the force's refusal to issue permission "for the staging of any pre-and post-Champs fêtes or parties during the same period."

Acting deputy commissioner of police in charge of the Operations Portfolio, Glenmore Hinds also stated in the release that the move was necessary as; "Having done our risk assessment, we have decided to take these measures in order to ensure that we are best able to properly secure this major sporting event. It is not something that we want to do, but we have noticed that as the CHAMPS date gets closer, there has been an increase in the incidents of violence involving high school students."

The officer also said that security will also be intensified at the National Stadium where the activities are scheduled to take place from next week Wednesday to Saturday.

He noted that the law would be enforced without partiality as anyone, students or adults, who are found with weapons, will be arrested and charged.

In an earlier article published in this newspaper, patrons were advised that items such as pointed tip umbrellas, glass bottles and firearms will not be allowed in the venue, as a security measure. It was also reported that the venue will be considered a sterile area, with even the police personnel patrolling without their firearms.