Law Students Perspective: Crime & More
Two young men studying in the UK have expressed their concerns about the gun crime and other issues on the island, saying “There is a certain vantage that comes from being away from home for an extended period.”
Jahkeel Quallo, 22, is a student at the University of Buckingham studying Law with Politics with hopes of becoming a Barrister and perhaps a future Justice of the Supreme Court. He is a former Youth-Member of Parliament, and a member of the Progressive Labour Party.
Paul Wilson is a Law School Graduate of University of Buckingham, where he obtained both his Bachelor of Laws, and his Master of Laws specialising in International & Commercial Law, and designated World Trade Specialist. He is currently enrolled in his Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) at the BPP School of Law in London, where it is anticipated that he will be called to the Bar of England and Wales in Late July this year.
Their article follows below:
This article attempts to caption and commit to writing the mindset paradigms of some of our young Bermudians. Its purpose is that of a reasonable request for our leaders to take responsibility.
Further, it should serve as a reminder of the opportunities with which we are presented, and a warning not to be lulled into any false sense of security that may occasion the belief that Bermuda is the only option available for us. Lastly, it should come as reassurance that we still care enough about our home to express our reservations openly.
Premier Paula Cox’s recent address before the country highlighted centerpiece issues in which the country is facing. Progress reports are needed as a form of keeping the country abreast of the developments of the government’s agenda. However, not all progress reports depict a clear picture of the government’s intentions on dealing with the ‘now’, and that forms a part of the challenges and reservations that we have with the present government.
The recent murders in Bermuda have shifted Bermuda’s global image on unprecedented scales. It is evident that the police are putting forward a concerted effort as we can see the increased arrest numbers, higher police visibility and recent conviction rates.
It is evident that the people care as members of our island community have been voicing concerns and starting national dialogues expressing their revulsion and consternation at the past and recent tragic events and heightened crime plaguing our island.
But, one question remains: Where is our government? Where are our officials – elected into positions of trust – so that when turmoil and turbulence rock our island’s foundation there our leaders stand, prepared to tackle the problem(s) at the forefront head-on?
Surely, part of the government’s agenda must focus on the need to address the unemployed numbers and move from welfare to work-fair. We do not deny that we need to provide attention to our tourism market and ensure that we increase our air and sea arrivals to generate stronger revenue for the Island.
We also acknowledge that there needs to be a consistent and strong relationship between Bermuda and International business leaders, ensuring that Bermuda remains at the forefront in the international market. However, we submit that focusing on those issues and neglecting to medicate the wounds at home will continue to threaten those other agenda items.
Premier Cox’s Budget Statement entitled: “Resetting the Dial,” could not be more appropriately applicable then in times like these. Sometimes we have to alter our agenda by resetting the dial to address other fundamentally important issues before getting back on track and heading toward the destination anticipated in our journey.
There is a certain vantage that comes from being away from home for an extended period. From that vantage, looking inwardly on Bermuda, we observe that as a country our ‘dial’ should be reset to taking care of home; rolling up our sleeves to tackle Bermuda’s gun crime and bringing our island back to the family oriented and values driven community that we once knew. It is not impossible with a community as small a size as Bermuda.
When we do this, we can ensure, that when International leaders examine the domestic landscape and image of Bermuda, they are guaranteed a high level of comfort in a jurisdiction that has been seen as a dynamic and sophisticated mini metropolis that also stands as the World’s Risk Capital.
Bermuda has the history and potential to exceed expectations and deliver on its undertakings, both domestically and internationally. However, we risk losing what we have already and could potentially gain if we do not prioritize our issues and address them accordingly. What can we lose? One of our most primary assets is our future.
We have many university students abroad pursuing a variety of arts, sciences and technical programs needed to penetrate Bermuda’s job markets and present opportunities for increased employment. However, the current mood shared by many overseas students is that: they are skeptical about returning to Bermuda, where guns are controlling our streets and employment is uncertain.
We open our web browsers to the news stories every day and we see turbulence in our community and a government that seems limited in their responses and solutions. So, we question ourselves: “Why return back to 21 miles of havoc and anarchy when we are swimming amongst possibilities and opportunities within our jurisdictions of study?”
All this and more we afford losing if we fail to prioritize. The old adage: “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail” is alive and well. We cannot afford to fail our island, our people or our future. We must conjure up ideas that will eradicate the issues that threaten the growth of our communities, both economically and socially. There must be new horizons set in order to effect positive change. What we act on today will echo in our future.
It starts with home …
- Jahkeel A.H. Quallo and Paul T. Wilson
Very well written, you both are a prime example of what can happen if you choose to be better and do better. Keep up the good work and thank you Bernews for highlighting these two young men.
I agree it’s well penned but I sense a feeling there of if this continues we ain’t comming back.Kinda sad in reality but it’s not gonna change anytime soon.
what were the suggestions?
solutions?
The first two paragraphs state that this article is mainly a perspective of the mindset of young Bermudians abroad in school. I don;t think it was meant as a means to offer solutions or suggestions.
Good to hear positivity! Can we get some more of this! thanks Bernews! And all the best to the young men.
Come back! we need people like you to help run the show in future! We need young talent to move this country forward! We desperately need our young, educated and worldly people to help Bermuda in future, otherwise who else will we have left to run the country?
Thank you gentlemen I am all for ANYTHING positive.
The young man displays good elocution he just needs to improve on the efficiency of his delivery.
There is the small matter of logical consistency. We can’t harken back to the values of a past Bermuda days AND strive for modernity.
Lastly a pet peeve of mine, we have had plenty of people talk about how bad things are without offering solutions. Here are mine:
- The gap between rich and poor needs to narrow and prices need to come down. In short Bermuda’s economy needs to shrink.
- The Unions need to be knocked down a peg because their “successes” over the years help make the economy unsustainable.
- We need to be determined to educate out your people and direct substandard educators to alternative careers. (see above re Unions).
- Policing needs to be come more proactive and engaged. We know who the “trouble makers” are…
Frank
Frank, in regards to your comment about plenty of people talk without offering solutions, you more or less did the same. You gave a laundry-list of things that need to happen without proposing a solution. For example:
“The gap between rich and poor needs to narrow and prices need to come down. In short Bermuda’s economy needs to shrink.”
Ok, you’ve identified the problems. The wealth gap must shrink. Prices must come down. Bermuda’s economy needs to shrink. So….. what’s your solutions for making each of those happen?
Dear Truth,
If you knew what drives Bermuda’s economy esp its growth you would know what it would take to shrink it.
However to be explicit and this is only my humble view which is rather radical:
Bermuda’s economy is almost entirely based on foreign captial and expertise, which is supplimented (arguably not enough) with local labour.
In summary as an economy we are living beyond our means…and we need to become a “poorer” country in order to be sustainable. On one view the rising crime is a reaction to our economic unsustainability.
Even more specific:
Temporary ban on new exempt companies – Exempt meaning companies who do business outside of Bermuda – unless Bermudians form 100% of the workforce – from CEO/President down to the janitor. Over time this will allow greater Bermudianisation of existing busineses.
Temporarily remove work permits requirements for hospitality businesses – provided all Bermudians who are willing, able and competent to work in that sector are employed. This should allow these businesses to bring their wage costs down and increase local employment as much as possible.
Rigorously enforce Collective Bargaining Agreements – these are not one way meal tickets for Unions but describe mutual responsibilities. If the unions violate the CBA – like not adhereing to strike notice periods – they get de certified.
Get real with the unions – if they make demands that the employer can’t afford then people will get made redundant. That’s business.
Will people be out of work and will some business fold – probably.
For those Expats and Locals who don’t want to become poorer (but more sustainable) they are free to leave.
Frank
Frank,
It’s ironic. Your suggestions guarantee failure in closing the gap between ‘rich and poor’ and you put it.
Your first item would 100% guarantee there would never be another exempt company in Bermuda.
Enforce Collective Bargaining…for what purpose? To make sure the bus drivers never lose their 14 weeks ‘sick leave’? That kind of thing?
Your ‘ideas’ for closing the gap are not aimed at making those at the bottom do better. They are aimed at making sure no-one does well. For example, you say that if an employer can’t afford the ‘demands’ of the unions it is free to make people redundant. Yes, perhaps. But the unions will resist that, of course. And ultimately the workforce will have effectively priced itself out of a job. More unemployment. Employers will not be able to continue paying uneconomic prices for employees. You seem to like the word ‘sustainable’ This is an example of that.
You can’t ‘close the gap’ by saying 1. No more expats, 2. Pay people more, and 3. If you don’t like it leave. Honestly, that comes across as a list of ‘solutions’ put together by a well-meaning 11-year-old.
CrazyTalk,
Glad to see that you remain to the true Bermudiansvalues of vitrol instead of anything that might be remotely helpful or constructive and indeed responding to something I didn’t say.
I love my people!
I didn’t say anything about paying people more (quite the opposite) nor did I say no more expats…what i did suggest is that the degree to which the Bermudian economy depends on exempt companies (I actually said foreign capital and expertise) is precisely the problem.
You don’t seem to know that Bermudians can form and exempt company.
Yes if the economy shrinks and the labour market continues to demand salaries to buy that 70k BMW they will price themselves out of the market.
The bus service is a shambles because PTB wants to keep their overtime pay (and other benefits) and the Gov’t (who is a bit short of money) doesn’t want to make anyone redundant. Net result is us (tourists included) wondering when the next bus is coming….
Econnomically speaking shrinking means, lower wages, reduced work force and yes that our GDP per Capita will come down.
Stop thinking short term and “ultra” micro.
Even an 11 year old can read Adam Smith.
Frank
Mr. Frank, I appreciate your offer of solutions because like you mentioned, most people propose that things are ‘bad’ but offer no definitive solutions as to what can be done.
I believe that jail here is a JOKE. I am a 30 year old female with no children (why would I want to birth children into this society??) and I am appalled that these degenerates at times live better than I do – at MY expense (I don’t have a choice to pay taxes, if I did, well…!). Why not introduce a life sentence of HARD labour for people affiliated with the gun epidemic (murders, gun possession and the like) and gangs? Take away the frills at Westgate – no visits, no special treatment and no furthering of education! If Human Rights have a problem with that, talk to the mother who has senselessly lost her child – talk to the child/ren whose father is never coming home! While I agree that it’s possible to turn your life around while incarcerated, that seems to be only a select few that actually do.
If you know that there is a potential of interfering with jurors/witnesses, why can’t the justice system impose a panel of judges that can make an informed decision based on the actual facts instead of relying on jurors that may fear for their lives? I am disheartened that the community is quick to place the blame on police, and further disenchanted that further blame is placed on the Government when sometimes to find out who we need to place blame on, all we need to do is look in the mirror!
Bermuda needs some serious intervention, the younger the better. Like the gentlemen mentioned in the article, it’s time to shift focus on the problems at hand. Bring God back into the schools – I don’t see how anything positive could ever come from taking Him out in the first instance! Children today fear NOTHING and that’s probably the worst possible mentality to have. The problems start at home, in my opinion, from a gross lack of parenting. Start holding the parents accountable and I think that this “trend” will quickly shift. Like you also mentioned, “we know who the trouble makers are” and I can recollect that the ones who were trouble makers from as early as primary school are continuing to cause havoc today! Some may arguably say that these men grew up “hard” and didn’t know the right way from the wrong way. Okay, so at what point do you learn?? Get social workers in these households! Offer a buddy-parenting system of sorts. I would volunteer! Reverting back to my teen years, I recall that we frequently argued about the lack of things for the youth to do, but we had positive things in place like Teen Summit, Word of Life groups, various sports groups, the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, Junior Cadet Program for Police and Regiment, Pride, etc. Do these programs still exist? Chances are that they don’t! My parents knew my friends and my whereabouts, and while I thought it was intrusive at the time, I can genuinely appreciate why they were and continue to be so involved with all of their children. My siblings and I had numerous extended family guiding us along the way and I am doing my part in helping to guide my nieces, nephews and God-children. I’m the oldest of four that grew up in a 2-parent home, and we were far removed from growing up with the proverbial ‘silver spoon’. We know what it’s like to struggle and be without. We also knew what was expected of us, knew our boundaries (although sometimes we sure tested them!) and we knew what was definitely NOT acceptable. If I wanted something and couldn’t have it for whatever reason, I was taught to work for it rather than think it was my right to take something that belonged to someone else!
My 22 year old brother is graduating in 3 days and I honestly fear him returning to Bermuda, for obvious reasons. Will I have to be awakened and told that MY brother has lost his life, possibly due to a mistaken identity?? I’ve already lost a friend to that mess – George Lynch – a year ago tomorrow, whose murderer/s still have yet to be brought to justice. Stiffer laws can only do so much – at what point do these killers, well COWARDS, face reality and accept responsibility for their own actions? How do you get through to a selective group that doesn’t seem to care about themselves, let alone anyone else? Females, stop glorifying and enabling these idiots! Men, learn to stand on your own rather than with a crew of other men doing no good! Yes, at times the lifestyle seems glamourous, but when lives are senselessly being wasted, at what point do you realize that that’s NOT the way to live?! Something’s gotta give!
Were in the world can you go Were there is NO killing NO PEOPLE GOING TO JAIL JUST NO CRIME SHOW ME THAT PLACE BY THE WAY DONT USE THIS AS A EXCUSE NOT TO HAVE A BABY MAYBE YOU DONT HAVE A MAN GET ONE IT WILL HELP.
What a douche response. By the way, it’s “WHERE”, not “were”.
I think it would be great in putting the prisoners to work in taking out all of the casuarina trees around the island. Free labour! (except for the fact that taxpayers pay for them to be in prison I suppose) To me they bring no benefit to the island: they erode the coastline, they drop ‘go down berries’ which get in your feet, they make a mess when the hurricanes come!
It is possible something else could be planted to shield the island during hurricanes but casuarinas are not endemic or native to Bermuda so I’m sure something could be worked out.
Also @ maddog: Real Thang just said she wasn’t having kids she never said anything about not having a man. Sex does not have to equal babies.
Dear “Franktalk”,
I thank you very much for your constructive criticism with regards to my needed improvement on the “efficiency of my delivery.”
I must convey that I have a reservation with your second statement with regards to retracting to our values. Morals and values have nothing to do with transitioning into modernity. It is more so coupled with our culture. Culture is something that never changes; rather, it is the foundation that our modernness should be built upon. So to suggest that we leave our cultures and values in the yesteryears and transition into modernity without any principles (morals) would be ludicrous.
Lastly, with regard to your third statement on solutions; I would like to make it abundantly clear for you and the rest of Bermuda that I (Jahkeel Quallo) have no intentions on abandoning my ship. However, I thought that it would be in the best interest of our Government, that I convey the convictions and unrest members of our external community (university students) have with the lackadaisical approach government is portraying with the recent murders (if not all). What am I doing as a solution, I am getting my education right now so that when I do return to the island, it is full speed ahead. But I have to make these reservations known so that our Government can shape up so that I have an island to return to.
Thank you for listening and providing feedback.
Regards,
Jahkeel
These two – come back an help your country instead of staying away like cowards!
Since when was going overseas to get an education an act of cowardice? If you have not got anything positive to say please do not bring down the tone of this excellent article
Not coming back is cowardise- I am well versed in both these young men, and they speak out of the both sides of their mouths, with forked tongues.
I applaude them for furthering their education and wanting to do something positive, but this article does naught to help our current situation.
It expresses disenfranchisement for the social and economic position the Island currently finds itself in, points finger at what Government isn’t doing and offers NO solution, aside from their own that they’re not coming back.
YAWN YAWN- thank you to the young lawyers who came back, IN SPITE of Bermuda’s climate, to give back: Kyle Masters, Marc Daniels, Eugene Johnston etc.
Dear Um Juss Sayin:
I would like to refer you to the response made to “Franktalk.” If you would like to explore further of what I intend on offering back to my country as not only a solution, but a sacrifice to see it progress and not regress, I first invite you to step out from behind veil (i.e., using your bernews alias), introduce yourself and arrange to have a sit down and incorporate ideas and solutions into shaping the Bermuda we would like to see.
But I assure you sir/madam, my cowardise box broke a long time ago. However my testicular fortitude box is geared, running and ready to work for my country and her people.
Thanks,
Jahkeel
Cheezums Um Juss Sayin,
You sound very bitter…well versed, speaking out of the both sides of their mouths, forked tongues.. Then you turned around and “applauded” them..Is it upsetting you that these men may come back and make a 6figure salary while you’re making minimum wage ? We are never proud of our own -always around here tryna knock the next person off of their feet. If you know them.. show them who you are.. put your name up ..Or are you afraid that you’ll get the tongue lashing you so rightfully deserve..
Keep up the good work guys!
Yo sayin…..let them finish their edjamakasheon first…jingus…..
Plus..it’s just a blueprint. They haven’t applied for an “SDO” yet…..damn…..
HAHAHHA Terry- edjamakasheon is right!!! LOL!!
The sad reality is, they will have no other option than to come back to Bermuda- Cause they aink getting no job in the mother-land!
How are they cowards by staying abroad & getting international experience in their respective fields?
Interesting mindset. It seems to me alot more Bermudians need to ‘get out’, travel, see the world and gain a ‘big-picture’ perspective, something that many Bermudians sorely lack. In a country where black men are killing each other every month, we have a black male who is educated and articulate, and furthering himself to become a productive citizen. And for that he’s a coward??
Good article, gentlemen.
Honestly, he’s right when he said young educated Bermudians don’t want to come back. I’m a young black Bermudian university student myself and with all the international opportunities available in today’s world, why should I come back to high priced, morally insecure, 21 sq mile rock?
I dont mean to sound harsh but to me it seems like these guys are saying, “if the government can’t fix the problems and i can’t come back to a pefect bermuda i will just abondone my country, but if you make everything easy i will come back assuredly.”
I agree that it is a well written paper however i feel it highlights the sense of entitlement that my generation has been blessed/cursed with. The fact that they would rather look outside of their ‘home’ for opportunities if their house ‘isn’t clean’ clearly shows that we aren’t willing to work hard and have a mentality that others should fix our problems; this is one of the major issues with the bermudian psyce.
If they choose to stay abroad good for them and i wish them all the best (hell when i graduated from university i didn’t want to come back but my scholarship required that i did). But true substance is the ability to see a problem with something that is dear to you (your home; Bermuda) and feel obligated to assist in rectifying the problem. Here is an analogy; you moved out of your home to stay with a neighbor in a differnt town for a specified time, you get word that your original home is burning down, so the first thing that comes to mind is my family need to put out that fire or im not coming home, I’m comfortable where I am so it’s their problem to fix, and if they can’t i’ll stay here indefinitely. The mindset of staying abroad because of problems at home highlights the selfishness that has allowed the country to disintegrate into its current state. We no longer think or act for the collective but rather our own personal gain. Me as well as 99% of people within our community are guilty of this, and unitl we change this mindset and focus on and act for the collective rather than ourselves I see no lasting hope for Bermuda.
In no way do i mean to offend the two that have written this article to provide there personal insight. However i would like to tell them that we are capable of enacting and influencing change to better our home. As a society for too long we have we relied on the government to provide change, however i feel it is time that we begin to rectify our own problems from the grass roots and don’t wait on a slow and ineffective government before the problems become unalterable. I graduated from university with a commerce degree in 2009, since coming back to the island i have unexpectedly found myself involved in a few organizations which help youth in various ways. This exposure has has led me to believe that we truly do have an influence on our young people and the future of our country. If at only 26 years i feel I can actually have influence, think about what we could do by 30? I think the sky is the limit, it just takes hard work. If you want to stay in foriegn stay because of the exposure that you will gain not because your house is on fire and you don’t want to help put it out.
One Love.
Thanks for sharing and I am very proud of these two young Bermudians, we need more of them to strive to do good and what’s right instead of trying to be thugs and gang members killing each other. Keep up the good work, stay on the right path …to Um Juss Sayin….obviously they are out there preparing themselves for their future…”staying away like cowards!” wtf is wrong with you???
And I don’t blame them if they don’t come back, it’s going to take a lot of work to fix this mess we have here, this mess was all done by design, the system have created monsters and now don’t know how to control them, the path Bda is on, we will be totally destroyed…no longer paradise.
Well said Paul and Jahkeel – fellow former Berkeleyites! I think you genuinely shared the mindset of the overseas students, myself included. I didn’t want to return to Bermuda either (and this was before the present state of things), mainly in part to the magnitude of seemingly endless opportunities that existed elsewhere. Jahkeel, you have said many times that you are going to be a future Premier of Bermuda – seems like you are well on your way. Keep up the great work, gents! You are shining examples of what hard work can produce.
I am willing to bet that one of Cog’s crew got these two to submit these “letters”.
Anything to divert us from the sinking PLP ship.
This is well written but doesn’t it sound a lot like Premier Paula Cox. The tone and the wording of the paper.
It may have something to do with the fact that they all share a British law education background.
Really……I thought the same, the delivery of his speech was in the exact same manner as Madam Premier…Everything from head to mouth movements!
I have posted my name so that nobody can accuse me of being afraid of any reprisals which may occur based on my comments.
Many people may know me in Bermuda because I am a musician.
I am not sure how many know that I have served my country for more than 25 years in the Somerset Brigade Band. In my opinion the community organisations like the Somerset Brigade Band promote social cohesion. Social cohesion is just another way of saying that I feel connected to my community. Can anyone tell me how many murderers in Bermuda feel connected with their communities? Did they stop to think about the impact on the community that their crime would make?
I applaud anyone who has the testicular fortitude to confront issues which are very emotional and which directly affect Bermuda.
I believe that the social ills which are manifesting themselves in Bermuda today cannot be fixed quickly or easily. Although it seems very difficult for many of us to realise, the politicians do not have all of the answers, and without the support of every man, woman and child in Bermuda, their best efforts are not going to make any difference whatsoever.
I cannot support anyone who is prepared to talk the talk but who is not prepared to walk the walk. We need to start walking the walk. Talk is cheap.
I want my country to become a safer place where we all work together to eradicate injustice.
On second thoughts, DON’T COME BACK! You will just end up wasting your time in the Regiment like I did! Forget about being able to use your free time to study and work, it will be spent marching around the parade square and listening to reasons why a useless force is used to take away the liberties of young men for the greater good of NOTHING! Bermuda is an un-hospitable place for young people, the everyday ignorance will kill you mentally. I remember coming home with fresh ideas and excitement; trust me that dies a quick death. Bermuda is not the place for the young modern person. Old people have too much say and don’t want anything to change, hence why we are the most boring tourist destination in the world.
Just before the thugs had a chance to unite and be like organized institutions with washed money and establishment… they infiltrated… and we’re seeing what the disruption is causin.