Residents of Pembroke East are aiming to revive their troubled neighbourhood with a new action group.

Pembroke East Legacy members hope to bring back a sense of pride and boost morale through community events and by highlighting the positive work being done in the area.

They hope this will help tackle the gang violence and crime that has been plaguing the St Monica’s Road community in particular, as well as combat the negativity often associated with the area.

“Between all of us we decided to come together and see what things we could do within that community,” founder Marshall Iris told The Royal Gazette. “We were all born and raised in that particular area.”

Mr Iris, who has lived in Constituency 15 for about 38 years, added: “I did move out of that area for many years and when I came back I could see that things were different.

“People that used to be there aren’t there any more, so it seems like the actual area itself is different.”

But he added that the community spirit had also worn away in what had previously been a close-knit community. “The morale is different,” he said. Referring to last week’s incident when a firearm was discharged in the St Monica’s Road area, he added: “They didn’t find out until the day after so that shows you again how people, in a sense, keep to themselves and don’t get involved in stuff.

“They may have heard something but they won’t say anything as well.

“But it’s also like a norm in a sense now and I don’t think that’s a good thing.”

According to Mr Iris, the area’s gang problems “really started to get bad” in 2006 or 2007, with St Monica’s Road, also known as 42nd Street, particularly affected by shootings.

Kenwandee Robinson, 27, was fatally shot on St Monica’s Road on May 22, 2009, and Kumi Harford was killed on St Monica’s Road on December 5, 2009.

Surrounding areas have also seen shootings, with David Clarke killed on North Shore Road on April 17, 2011, and Stefan Burgess fatally shot on The Glebe Road on January 8, 2012.

But Mr Iris said the area had also struggled with crimes such as break-ins and drug use.

He also noted places where “people don’t take pride in their area” or property owners are not paying for the upkeep.

“That’s another thing as well that brings up people’s morale. If they’re happy to come home, I believe, then they tend to be happy in everything else they do.

Mr Iris added: “It’s not as much of a desirable neighbourhood as it used to be, based on a lot of the social problems that that particular area does have.”

But Mr Iris stressed that despite the tendency to “highlight a lot of the negatives”, a lot of good has also come from that particular area.

As part of the launch event last week, the group honoured Lawrence “Stickers” Hendrickson, the founder of H&H Gombeys, for his positive contribution to the Pembroke East community.

Born on January 12, 1983, Mr Hendrickson has dedicated more than 50 years to the Gombey heritage and has travelled to represent Bermuda around the world.

“It was excellent,” Mr Iris said of the awards ceremony. “It was very well done and he was very happy; it almost brought him to tears.

“What I’m really interested in doing next is a community day so that we can find out who else is in the community and what their wants and needs are.

“That will be more of a meet-and-greet type session and a more relaxed, easy going atmosphere.

“From that we can get people’s input, feedback and find out exactly what they need and then we can work on things from that.”

Senator Jeffrey Baron, the Minister of National Security, praised the initiative as a positive that will help make the community safer.

“It’s no secret that this community has had gang violence and antisocial behaviour on its doorstep for over a decade,” he said.

“Peace rallies and marches have started and stopped in this community — after one of their own was murdered. But who wants to belabour the negatives? I don’t. This is why I’m so grateful to Marshall.”

Mr Baron added that he was grateful for Mr Iris’s vision and bravery, and will support him, the Pembroke East Legacy and everyone in our community.

And he added: “By engaging their neighbours, encouraging positive community gatherings and celebrating our champions who are from this community, the Pembroke East Legacy will make this community safer. It’s a fact that the more engaged and empowered communities are — and the more they take pride in their homes, streets and neighbours — the safer they are and the safer they feel. That’s critical.

“It’s this simple truth that makes what Marshall and others in the PEL group do so beautiful. It’s for pride, not for money. It’s for others not for self. It’s for Bermuda, and not anywhere else.”

Area MP and shadow national security minister Walter Roban, as well as shadow community minister Michael Weeks, were approached for comment but did not respond.