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Like the community's much-revered son, dancehall artiste Tommy Lee Sparta, residents of Flankers, in St James, who suffered years of anguish due to gang conflict, are today revelling in the peace that has restored hope in the community.

During his performance on Festival Night One of Reggae Sumfest early Saturday morning, Tommy Lee Sparta, who in the past had been named by police as a person of interest in criminal activities in Flankers, expressed much pleasure that the violence has subsided drastically.

"Big up the whole MoBay, me nah tell no lie, me proud a unoo ...no whole a killing nah gwaan this year ... big up mi community Flankers, nobody nuh dead from when," he said. "All me waa tell unno youth, unno a dweet already so me nuh haffe say it ... just do de right thing. Full time fi we just grow up, yu understand, the little pickney dem ago grow up, ... we caan mek dem taste blood, we haffe keep them positive youth." Residents echoed the artiste's sentiment.

"I born and grow in Flankers, and right now I feel great. I like how the place a run, no bag a war nah gwaan, nobody nah fire shot at nobody," said 41-year-old George Whitehead, with a happy look on his face. "It's just peace and love so far, a just so the thing set, and I hope the thing continue." Whitehead was quite pleased that Tommy Lee Sparta had decided to use his platform to promote peace in the community, saying it was the right thing to do.

"Tommy Lee is promoting peace same way, and it is his place here so, and him like to see peace in his community. So him a say peace, everybody a say peace, the whole a wi a say peace," said Whitehead. "It is better we live in peace more than war, and it's good that an artiste can come and do that and 'big up' the place and talk for his Flankers people, to let people know we're living good under one umbrella."

A local shopkeeper, who gave his name as Tony, said he too was pleased with the new mood in the community and the friendship and solidarity that now exists among residents.

"No bad vibes nah gwaan, everybody just a live as one and a go through, one peace and love, no bad vibes. If dem a party, dem party and enjoy themselves, no war, no fuss," said Tony. "One time, man couldn't go here or there so, but now there's no bad vibes for a good, good while now."

Monique Christie, the administrator of the Flankers Peace and Justice Centre, credited the community's current peace to the efforts of local stakeholders in directing the energies of Flanker's young people in a positive direction.

"With regard to the peace in the community, I do want to say that we have been seeing a reduction in crime and violence, and that is mainly based on the community-based actors that have empowered the youths," said Christie. "We have always worked together toward fostering youth engagement and promoting community safety. There are gaps, and we always look toward filling those gaps and meeting the needs of our community members."

Since the mid-1980s, Flankers has seen many violent upheavals, the most fearsome was in the period when former St James most wanted man, Icar 'Dread' Panton, had the community under siege, killing and maiming with impunity before he was killed in a gunfight with legendary crime-fighter Clive 'Karate' Lawrence.

In recent years, the community, which is located in the St James North West constituency, has benefited from programmes such as the YUTE For Tomorrow programme and the United States Agency for International Development's Positive Pathways Community Peace-building Project.