Last week was one of great sadness for many in St James, especially over events in the parish that captured the nation’s attention and even brought comments in the Parliament. It started with the sad news that two brothers, nine-year-old twins coming home from Green Pond school in torrential rains had been washed away and then, following a night of furtive searches, their bodies were found at Dump Up Beach, Montego Bay Tuesday, May 20. Even those who didn’t know Brandon and Brayden Jones wept. There were many stories about what had happened but in each case, each story ended with heroism one of the boys jumped in to the raging waters to save his twin. It is alleged that the boys were playing on a bridge while coming from school, one fell into the raging flood water and the other tried to save him, but he too was washed away. There was raging debate too about what caused or contributed to the deaths. Some blamed teachers, some blamed absent protocols about what to do in violent weather. There was blame too for the Parish Council and its open drains and even questions about who should have picked up the boys. Politicians wouldn’t be left out. MPs and Councillors spoke and the leader of Opposition toured.
