In the early 2000s, Sherma Wilson was part of a peace treaty among rival gang leaders in East Port-of-Spain organised by then-prime minister Patrick Manning.
The objective by Manning then was to stem the crime and murders growing in the Port-of-Spain district.
At that time, Wilson’s son Kareem Marcelle was just a little boy.
Today, almost three decades later, Marcelle, who was given the nod by the People’s National Movement screening committee on Monday to contest the Laventille West seat, is hoping to bring peace and love in this warring constituency.
Incumbent Fitzgerald Hinds withdrew his consent to be screened last week, paving the way for Marcelle to get his chance.
During a brief telephone interview with Guardian Media yesterday, Wilson, 60, said this task by her son would no doubt be humongous but she is confident he will get the job done.
“Kareem is quite capable. He will continue being the leader that he is. I know that Kareem will put his all into it. Everything takes time.”
Wilson was one of dozens of people who flocked Balisier House on Monday to support Marcelle, 30.
Marcelle is a community activist in his Beetham Gardens community, an attorney and an alderman in the Port-of-Spain City Corporation.
In addressing his supporters, Marcelle said he wants to bring back peace and love in east Port-of-Spain.
Wilson yesterday said her son has been trying to bring unity to Beetham Gardens by inviting outside communities to partake in football matches.
His goal is to bridge the gap.
“There is where the catalyst started for this peace among everyone in East Port-of-Spain,” Wilson said.
She said a fair question some people have been asking is if he can strike a peace treaty among the rival gang leaders and members in the Laventille West constituency.
“The fact that he is committed to doing it... I think that is what we should really be focusing on...the fact that he is willing ... to take up this challenge.”
However, Wilson said Marcelle alone cannot do it, as she called for all hands on deck.
“I was part of a peace treaty in Laventille back then when he (Marcelle) was just a baby,” she admitted.
In 2002, Patrick Manning had invited gang leaders to negotiate a peace pact, promising them URP jobs.
Four years later, Manning also made a second attempt to broker a peace treaty with 21 gang bosses described as community leaders at Crowne Plaza, Port-of-Spain.
Many of these gang leaders, among them Mark Guerra, Kerwin Phillip, Glenroy Charles and Herbert John, were gunned down.
Wilson said sometimes in life things end up broken but said we should never give up.
“We pick up the pieces and we go again. It’s a challenge.”
One quality she said Marcelle possessed was his compassion to help others.
Wilson said she will work with her son, her last child, going forward.
In a brief interview yesterday, Marcelle admitted the safety and security of the people of Laventille West and East Port-of-Spain have to be a priority.
“I cannot do it alone but I am committed to leading the charge and fight in this.”
He said the fear in Laventille exists and it is real.
Marcelle, whose father was incarcerated in the US on a murder charge 15 years ago, said he would rely “heavily on the Government, police and different arms within the community to undertake initiatives to foster unity. We can only spend so many millions on bringing out the amount of police officers ... bringing out soldiers and so on.”
He said other interventions are needed.
During a visit to Beetham Gardens yesterday, residents said they are willing to stand with Marcelle to fight crime and bring about positive change in their community and environment.
“I think Kareem has the ability to bring peace in Port-of-Spain and Laventille,” said resident Glen Dollard.
Dollard said their community needed “one love.”
Beverly Biddy said she believed Marcelle has the ability to form a peace pact with warring gang leaders and members to get them to put down their guns and change their lives.
“With God, nothing is impossible. And he has the capability to do it,” Biddy said.
Biddy said they will support Marcelle 100 per cent.
“We are putting God in front and we will walk behind Kareem. We will walk with him.”
She said Hinds never supported Beetham Gardens and the residents got fed up with him over the years.
“If they (PNM) didn’t put Kareem there...it was no PNM down here again.”
Clasping her hands as she prayed for Marcelle, Hazel Reyes described Kareem as a generous and sincere person.
She said Hinds can never walk in Marcelle’s shoes.
“No weapon formed against Marcelle shall prosper,” Reyes said.
All Reyes hoped for in their stigmatised community was betterment and upliftment.
Beetham Gardens resident and Marcelle’s neighbour Glen Dolland said he believes Marcelle has the ability to bring peace. I think he can make a positive change.”
