About this episode

This episode explores the life and impact of Burry Boy, Jamaica's first top-ranking political enforcer, and the historical context of his actions within the garrison system.

Burry Boy was Jamaica's most feared political enforcer — the man who built the Concrete Jungle and died with a prime minister walking behind his casket. In this episode of Jamaican Gangster, we tell the full, verified story of Winston Blake — known in the streets of Kingston as Burry Boy — the PNP's first top-ranking don, the architect of Arnett Gardens' garrison community, and the man whose 1975 assassination sent twenty thousand mourners into the streets while rival gunmen opened fire on the procession. This is not a street legend. This is documented Jamaican political history — confirmed through Cabinet papers, the Jamaica Observer, the Jamaica Gleaner, and TVJ investigative reporting. What you'll discover in this episode: — How Jamaica's garrison system was engineered by politicians, not criminals, starting with Edward Seaga's Tivoli Gardens and the demolition of Back O' Wall— How Anthony Spaulding's housing ministry built Arnett Gardens as a PNP loyalist fortress — and how Burry Boy became its enforcer— Why Burry Boy and his partner Feathermop rode thirty Honda motorcycles through Kingston neighborhoods that hadn't yet decided which party they belonged to— The 1974 attacks…

People in this episode

Hosts: Joe, Kevin

Topics covered

• Jamaican political history
• gangster culture
• garrison communities
• political enforcers
• assassination events
• PNP and JLP rivalry

Keywords

• Burry Boy
• Winston Blake
• Jamaica
• political enforcer
• Arnett Gardens
• PNP
• JLP
• assassination
• garrison system
• historical events

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: PNP, JLP

Books & works: Jamaica Observer, Jamaica Gleaner, TVJ investigative reporting

Places: Arnett Gardens, Kingston

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