Dr Neil McGill shot dead by gunmen in Manchester
The murder Friday night of former People’s National Party (PNP) parliamentarian Dr Neil McGill yesterday elicited expressions of shock, disbelief and condemnation from the ruling and opposition parties and from the people he represented and worked with in Western St Mary.
“I am deeply saddened at the news of Neil’s murder,” said Opposition Leader Portia Simpson-Miller, who is on an official visit to Canada. “I condemn this murder which has come as a surprise to all of us in the PNP family.”
The opposition leader also offered her condolences to McGill’s relatives and friends.
The ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in a release said “Dr McGill was well-respected and liked by colleagues in and outside Parliament and was seen as a bright and affable gentleman”.
The JLP said he was known for his passion for representational politics and his deep care and love for ordinary Jamaicans.
He also displayed a high level of impartiality in the pursuit of his political duties both in his constituency and in Parliament,” the party said.
Police report that at around 8:45 pm McGill was attacked and fatally shot by two gunmen when he stopped to visit a friend along a dirt track in a community known as Vietnam near Mandeville, Manchester. The gunmen, the police said, tried to grab a bag from McGill’s friend.
Cops say McGill’s body was found slumped over the steering wheel of his car.
The murder has left the police and country puzzled as the authorities said that McGill’s licensed firearm was found between his legs and money was found in his wallet.
“Police are at this time following several leads into the incident. We have not been able to determine what was the motive behind the attack but are not ruling anything out at this time,” said a senior policeman in Mandeville.
Yesterday, residents in St Mary expressed shock and disbelief at Dr McGill’s murder and remembered him as a man who served Western St Mary with distinction.
“Even though he didn’t represent the constituency in the last general election, he still maintained his relationship with the people …his practice remained in the constituency and he had great respect for the people,” said PNP caretaker for the constituency Jolyan Silvera.
Silvera said the people of the constituency, as well as neighbouring constituencies in the parish, are still in a state of shock. He explained that Dr McGill had done a lot of social work with the people of the parish and was well loved.
“It has had a great impact on the constituency, the people are in disbelief, we didn’t expect him to go in that manner,” said Silvera.
Opposition member of parliament for Central St Mary Dr Morias Guy described the attack on Dr McGill as devastating and unfortunate. He said the incident demonstrated that criminals and criminality have no respect for people or positions.
“Neil was a hard worker, he got along well with his constituency, he was well-loved by his patients and the people of Western St Mary. He was very jovial and quite generous,” said Dr Guy.
Beverly Thompson, who worked with Dr McGill throughout the time he represented the constituency, said Jamaica has lost a stalwart. She said Dr McGill was committed to help building a better Jamaica and that he worked tirelessly for the people of the constituency.
“It’s a shock, we can’t believe that he is dead, he was such a good person, he was a hard worker, he loved people, he loved children, he loved everybody and the people loved him,” said Thompson.
McGill lost his bid to unseat member of parliament for Central Clarendon, Mike Henry in the 2007 general elections.
Yesterday, Henry, too, expressed shock and dismay at McGill’s killing. Henry said that as a political rival, he held great respect for McGill, “who was unquestionably a gentleman and one of the most likeable persons you could find”.
He said that consequently, the 2007 electoral contest in the constituency was conducted with “a level of cordiality between Neil and I that engendered a clear focus on issues rather than on petty politicking”.
Henry, who is the transport and works minister, urged the authorities to undertake the most comprehensive investigation to determine the source of the unfortunate development.
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