Former Shower Posse gang leader Vivian Blake is to be buried in a somewhat low-keyed service.

Blake, will be laid to rest at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, in Kingston,

But despite his popularity in the gangster years, when THE STAR checked with members of west Kingston, several persons including well-known thugs yesterday expressed uncertainty as to when the late crime boss would be buried.

Some claim Blake would not be buried until the extradition matter pertaining to Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke is settled, others said preparations were still being made, while others said they simply did not know.

Even police officers from the west Kingston police division said they had no idea when Blake would be buried.

"I have no idea. I haven't heard anything about it," one officer from the division said.

"Vivian Blake naw bury yet man, dem a gi everybody time fi get demself prepared," one thug claimed.

THE STAR had to make contact with persons in the immediate circles of 'Dudus' before confirming that Blake would be buried today.

Blake died on March 21, at the University Hospital, in St Andrew, after reportedly suffering from a heart attack. He was also said to be suffering from a number of health complications.

sell out

In the midst of his death there were some persons who were quick to label him a 'sell out' who will not be missed.

Several persons who spoke with THE STAR, including well-known thugs and regular residents of west Kingston, called Blake an informer who they claim was partly responsible for the fall of a past Tivoli Gardens don.

They claim that it was after Blake was held that other members of the Shower Posse were also arrested.

"A man will get him respect as one a di man dem weh set di ting eno, don't get it wrong. But nuff people have him off as informer and have it seh a him sell out di don, Jim Brown," one Denham Town thug said.

Jim Brown died in a fire while in jail on February 23, 1991. He was due to be taken to the United States to face trial the following day.

At that time, Blake was still in Jamaica after fleeing the United States in December 1988, on a cruise ship which brought him to Ocho Rios, St Ann, where he stayed until 1994 when he was captured.

He fled the US after the Shower Posse became notorious and he was included on the wanted list of securityofficials there. The Posse was linked to some 1,400 murders and the smuggling of more than 1,000 tons of coke into that country.

identified posse

It was after his arrest that the west Kingston residents believe Blake leaked information which helped to identity some members of the Shower Posse.

"Yu see when di Gideon get hot a dem time deh him sell out di posse eno. See him all get ketch and end up get a easy sentence. Fi di amount a murder weh dem link di Posse wid, him couldn't get dat amount a years. Him inform pon nuff a di man dem," another thug said.

THE STAR was also told that at one point, shortly after his extradition to the US, Blake's family was forced out of west Kingston.

"Dat alone a enough evidence seh west Kingston did have him off as a snitch. A just out a respect mek dem neva do him family nuttin and did jus tell dem fi leave di place," one 55-year-old resident explained before adding: "Mi deh a west Kingston long enough fi know seh from yu snitch u a guh dead. But a jus true a Vivian Blake an' him a one a di man dem weh help set di ting ..."

Police sources also admitted to knowing of the allegations attached to the legacy of the reputed gang leader but say it is really not their business.

"We hear arguments like that, people saying Vivian Blake was a sell out and all of that. But their personal differences is really not our concern, we are concerned about crime," one source from the Organised Crime Investigative Division said.

Blake was deported to Jamaica on January 29, 2009, after being sentenced to 28 years for admitting to racketeering and criminal conspiracy.

He never faced a jury after inking a plea-bargain deal which resulted in the time he served while in Jamaica being used as part of his sentence.