The authorities’ strategy to swamp Omar Davies’ violence-wracked South St Andrew constituency with cops and soldiers appears to have sent gunmen on the run and returned relative calm to the area, police and residents said yesterday.

Dem gone, man,” said a senior policeman who opted not to be named. “Dem a keep quiet because the police are now in control.”

His statement was corroborated by a detective constable at the Admiral Town Police Station who gave his name only as O Thomas.

“Everything has been quiet,” said Thomas. “Based on our informants, since the cleaning up of the roadblocks and the plans to put in a command post, some of the ‘shottas’ (street jargon for gunmen) have moved into other areas.”

Police and soldiers flooded the troubled communities last week to stem an escalation in violence sparked by an attempt to unseat George Phang as the ‘don’ for Arnett Gardens, one of the communities in South St Andrew that votes heavily in favour of the ruling People’s National Party (PNP).

More than 50 lives have been taken in the intermittent fighting that has rocked the area since March 2003 when Phang was shot several times.

Last week, the security forces began dismantling roadblocks erected by residents to prevent attacks by gunmen and have demolished at least one building from which, they said, criminals had been launching attacks.

“The operation is in a specific area: Jones Town, Craig Town, Denham Town and Arnett Gardens,” Deputy Commissioner Mark Shields, the crime chief, told the Observer last week. “It is intelligence-led and it is based on where the killings are occurring the most. Our intention is to tighten our grip on those communities. in order to bring some peace and tranquility back in those communities.”

Shields had also said that a command post would be set up in the area.

Yesterday, as heavily-armed police and soldiers patrolled streets in the communities, residents spoke of how relieved they were that the shootings had stopped.

“Jah know seh mi feel free,” exclaimed one resident who did not want to be named. “Before the police dem come a just gunshot pon top a gunshot; it feel good.”

One resident of Jones Town, who gave his name as Delroy, said he was happy with the presence of the police and soldiers. “Mi wouldn’t even mind if dem come set-up de (command) post inna mi yard,” he said to loud laughter from his relatives.

The level of calm was indicated by children playing in the streets and tight groups of adults engaged in conversation outside their homes.

An elderly woman scolded member of parliament Davies for not doing enough to stop the violence. He was preoccupied, she said, with his campaign to win the PNP presidency.

“We want Mr Davies and the people fi sit down and talk about the problem, ’cause it never start overnight,” she told the Observer.