( l - r ) Rev Al Miller, Mavado - File photos

Singjay Mavado is stepping forward to "fight for peace" in garrison communities throughout Jamaicaalongside Rev Al Miller and the Peace Management Initiative (PMI).

The singjay met with Rev Miller, who is the director of the National Transformation Programme (NTP), three weeks ago at Jamaica House to discuss peace initiatives between his Cassava Piece community and the neighbouring Big Yard community, which is located off Mannings Hill Road. Motivated by the success of the meetings in his own community of Cassava Piece, Mavado hopes to continue assisting Rev Miller in fighting for peace across Jamaica.

Mavado told THE STAR recently, "right yah now at dis time yuh done know peace is important, yuh nuh see di amount of tings happening, dem shoot the singer from Voicemail, Cobra, crazy artiste. Di violence in di streets, di amount of people dying, it a get a way, tings are more serious and dangerous."

'powerful' man

Motivated by potential flare-up of violence in his community, Mavado turned to Rev Miller, who he described as a 'powerful' man, to discuss peace in Cassava Piece. After meeting with Mavado, Miller went into the Big Yard and Cassava Piece communities recently, speaking with the leaders and citizens. When contacted, Miller said the meetings went well on both sides saying, "he (Mavado) certainly want, to work with us to help to communicate wid the community and to work at the peace with the factions and wanting to see peace restored to the area."

Miller described his talks with the community as a "continuing dialogue" hoping to one day break the cycle of negative behaviour. As for providing assistance on a wider level across Jamaica, Miller said Mavado has "really given the commitment to help that process."

Late last year in the height of the Gully/Gaza friction, Mavado held discussions with Bishop Herro Blair and other prominent figures to come up with a solution for the problem. In December, Mavado and Kartel officially called peace at West Kingston Jamboree, which was held in Tivoli.

According to Mavado, since the meetings with Miller in the communities, there has been peace as persons came out and discussed their views with the Reverend. "We haffi tek di ting serious and get every man fi work wid di peace. If 90 per cent work wid it, then di 10 per cent haffi find somewhere go," he said.

He added, "yuh nuh see Jamaica a mash up? Yuh cyaan go and come back, no matter how much millions yuh have, yuh haffi always rememba Jamaica. We can't wait for the whole of Jamaica to mash up, when we can stop it from now."

For Rev Miller he would love to see more entertainers join the initiative for peace as he believes entertainers have a lot of influence in society. He said, "we want to see the other entertainers coming on board, ensuring that we look at the whole lifting of the moral fabric of the society, looking at the national image, helping people to believe who we are, and the greatness that is within us and challenging the people, our youths, to believe in themselves and their capacity for greatness and we believe the entertainers are critical in helping to carry that kind of message so that the nation can prosper."

Mavado too hopes that not only his fellow entertainers, but all concerned citizens will come together to bring a change in the crime situation.