Minister On Anti-Crime Legislative Initiatives
[Updated with video] The day after the island recorded our 5th murder, National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief held a press conference, and spoke on his Ministry’s work in combating gun crime this morning [May 2]. He shared some of the legislative measures that will be considered including possibly making membership in a gang a criminal offence, and changing the proceeds of crime legislation to permit seizures without criminal convictions.
The Minister had been due to travel with the Governor today to visit the Bermuda Regiment during their overseas training trip but postponed the visit. He announced that on Thursday, May 5th, he and the Commissioner of Police will host a public meeting at the Devonshire Seventh-Day Adventist Church on Robert’s Avenue, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Minister Perinchief also said that the next Session of the Legislature will, subject to the final approval of Cabinet, take under consideration certain legislative initiatives which include making membership in a gang a criminal offence, and revamping the proceeds of crime legislation to “permit the seizure of ill-gotten gains without the need for a criminal conviction.”
On the subject of financing, the Minister said, “Budgets are not limitless. However, with the Commissioner of Police, I am confident that we can deliver a service demanded by the community prudently and in keeping with the economic realities of Bermuda today. Significant funds are available in this year’s budget for the engagement of overseas assistance and the Commissioner has the Government’s full support in determining how best to allocate those resources.”
The Minister’s full statement is below:
Good morning and thank you for coming. It is difficult to settle on a formula of words that achieves all of the competing demands of the community at large. The crimes committed recently have had immediate impacts and have jarred our community’s sense of safety and security. No matter what the reason for these crimes, there are no winners.
Families mourn, communities become tense, countryman is pitted against countryman and the country’s elders wonder if the way of life we enjoyed, and coveted by so many, is now a memory.
In the wake of another violent and senseless killing, the public clamor for strong action on the part of the Police is not unreasonable and not unexpected. Safety can be achieved in many ways and in the short term, strong enforcement can achieve that. I have discussed just such methods with the Commissioner and his senior command at length.
They have assured me, and I in turn confidently assure the people of Bermuda, that the Bermuda Police Service will meet the challenge posed by this trend of violent behaviour.
Following the rise in gun crimes in Bermuda, the Police have worked tirelessly as the vital first line in the criminal justice system. The record of arrests, sound preparation of cases and files for prosecution, and the role played by the Police in the conviction of offenders, is a matter of public record.
Individuals whose names had become synonymous with violent behaviour are now detained within the Department of Corrections, and the disruption of the rhythm of those who remain at large has been successful and will continue.
So often in society the innocent unfortunately suffer for the guilty. The effect on the community of the conduct of a minority of people has forced us to employ aggressive stop and search operations, increase patrols in a targeted fashion and to rely on technology solutions that can be costly. These things are the responsibility of law enforcement and in fulfilling this responsibility I urge the people of Bermuda to support the Police.
These tactics are essential in this fight to restore peace and order to our community. The patience and support of the innocent will be another useful tool in the fight to bring the guilty to justice.
As I have indicated previously; since my appointment as the Minister of National Security, the next Session of the Legislature will, subject to the final approval of Cabinet, take under consideration the following legislative initiatives:
- Make membership in a gang a criminal offence
- Deal harshly with those who recruit young people into gangs
- Introduce methods to permit the prosecutorial apparatus to effectively secure intelligence and evidence from detained persons
- Revamp proceeds of crime legislation to permit the seizure of ill-gotten gains without the need for a criminal conviction, and
- The consideration of appropriate sentences for these new offences and those already existing on our books
These and several other important issues will be highlighted in Cabinet’s discussions as soon as tomorrow.
At every turn this Government will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Police, equipping them with the tools to deal effectively with the issues that threaten to undo the success story that is Bermuda. Budgets are not limitless. However, with the Commissioner of Police, I am confident that we can deliver a service demanded by the community prudently and in keeping with the economic realities of Bermuda today.
Significant funds are available in this year’s budget for the engagement of overseas assistance and the Commissioner has the Government’s full support in determining how best to allocate those resources. Already, I can advise that the Ministry of National Security has agreed an expedited process with the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Finance for these kinds of engagements.
Earlier I referred to strong enforcement in the short term. The sustainability of operations such as those we mounted over the recent Easter weekend is a challenge. The reasons are self-evident. While my specific remit is this arm of enforcement, it is only one of the critical requirements needed in addressing the issue.
My predecessor met the mandate established in November 2010’s Speech From the Throne and formed the Anti-Gang Task Force. This body brings together men and women from the public and private sectors, from the enforcement, helping and rehabilitative agencies, and from the policy making arm of the Ministry of National Security.
I intend to build on this success and to extend an invitation through my colleague, the Minister of Education, for a representative presence at the appropriate level, on the Task Force. The full weight of the information sharing and interventions that this body can provide has not yet been felt, and I intend to effectively challenge them to do so.
Enforcement addresses the manifested symptoms; the wider issues are to be resolved by bodies such as the task force who bring to bear their considerable knowledge and real-time, daily experiences with the people who live the gang culture on a daily basis. Included in this number are teachers and guidance counselors at every level.
These caring professionals are in positions to spot early signs of exposure to these negative influences, and we must take their observations to heart and more importantly; act upon them. Early assessment and equally early interventions must become a feature of how we address these issues at the front end. A society that relies on enforcement alone to manage such problems is not fully engaged in meeting its issues head-on. We can and must be different in resolving these societal problems.
The voice of our community has always been the most powerful force for change, and the source of much inspiration throughout our history. This Government wants to hear from our people. Not just in the anonymity afforded by blogs and online chatting, but in person, face to face, and from people who are prepared to stand up and meet us; with the point of restoring safety to our communities.
Therefore, on Thursday, May 5th, I will host a public meeting at the Devonshire Seventh-Day Adventist Church on Robert’s Avenue, starting at 6:30 p.m. The Commissioner of Police will join me and together we will engage with the community, listen to concerns, welcome solutions, and share what we can, with respect to what we are doing to keep Bermuda safe. In keeping with this joined -up approach, I have encouraged other representatives from partner agencies to also be present. We want to hear from the people.
Two loving parents and a Bermudian family, as well as lifelong friends, awoke this morning to a void that can never be filled. They are not alone in their sorrow. Other mothers and fathers are confused and dazed by the tragedy of loss. If nothing else unites us, this tragedy must! Spare a moment for these families. Consider their grief and in so doing; commit to doing your part to end this cycle of senseless, wanton loss of life. Our strength is in our Unity of purpose.
Thank you.
1. Well done Minister Perinchief for keeping the public informed and already doing a far superior job than your predecessor ever did.
2. WHY are we still keeping the Regiment funded in lean times such as these?? I’ve been through it and trust me, that 8.5 million per year could be much better spent on beefing up the Police force than wasting the time of our youth.
I have no clue why they still fund the regiment that much money when free tuition at the college is only 1.1 million a year.
I guess parades are more important than education in Bermuda….
MR.Perinchief cancelled his trip to Carolina, goes to show you he is thinking about Bermuda. for that we are thankful.
JeffreyP, I could not agree with you more. The purpose for the Bermuda Regiment in todays Bermuda is outdated to say the very least. I understand that the Police’s resources are stretched right now, which is even more a reason why the Bermuda Regiment should be used more to assist with patrolling the island crime ridden areas, to help deter criminals. Of course it isn’t the solution, but merely a building block to addressing the overall problem of violence on the island. Several other Caribbean islands use their military service in the same way with tremendous success.
I agree! The regiment is a drain on resources that is not needed. The regiment also consists mainly of conscripts. It would be impossible to have it as a crime fighting extension if it remains a conscripted force. Half these byes in the regiment know most of the gang members! What do you think would happen in a civil unrest situation in Bermuda? Young Bermudian men would risk life and limb against their will to fight their cousins and brothers? Get real! Scrap conscription, make the Regiment professional, take the money you save and hire mercenaries in a special task force. Pass legislation to allow these guys free reign to aggressively hunt gang members in armed patrols. Create a little fear that the Police are no longer push overs. I recon almost overnight you would see a decrease in activity. We are not dealing with sophisticated criminals here, just kids with guns. And I don’t care if they are someone’s son, you should have kept a leash on them before they started to kill people and ruin this Island’s reputation.
Exactly! I believe the Bermuda Regiment’s need for assisting the Police during these times significantly outweighs them marching in parades and providing hurricane relief, not that marching in parades isn’t important (sarcasm), but they should maintain their role for hurricane relief. Also, I have little to know sympathy for parents who feel their gang member children are being unfairly targeted and harassed. I’ll save that sympathy for parents & families of good people who are unfortunately murdered..
So, he says ‘the next session if the legislature’ might, if cabinet agrees with it, it might do these things.
Completely inadequate and useless.
The ‘next session of the legislature’ is code for ‘next year’. If ever.
In case one of those useless halfwits is reading this, this is what most people want..
We want you to get off your useless overpaid dumbass behinds and pass some laws immediately, i.e. NOW, that make life as difficult as possible for the scumbag criminals.
We don’t want committees, meetings, more useless incompetent timewasting. We want you to DO SOMETHING. NOW.
And another thing. Don’t treat us like idiots, which is what this statement does.
@ crazytalk. I totally agree with you. What a waste of time. If they were really serious about this, they would reconvene Parliament early and pass some of these proposals. We don’t need public forums with the general public! Just get on with it!!!
You are are obviously just bitter!
Just a couple of questions:
If our prison system fails to rehabilitate people now, how would incarcerating more people, because of their gang affiliation, solve our violence problem?
How long could you incarcerate a gang member? Isn’t gang membership a lifetime agreement? what happens when he is free again, do you instantly lock him back up?
You can put a timeline on a sentence but there’s no timeline for gang membership.
I just don’t see it working in the long term.
Heard this quote in a documentary that went something like this:
“When a Government does not know how to solve a problem, [instead of searching for the underlining problem(s)], they create a law”
Just something to think about….
I find myself reading all the same stuff I have read before.
Damn Geza, you rape Bernews like 24/7. LOL
Well, stop reading or contribute something. You remind me of a Joint National Conferance…..
Oh I’m sorry, I didnt realise I should be out doing something, let me go get my bat cape and hop in my bat mobile and start curb stomping people.
Not like I am employed by the people of Bermuda to perform a duty and every time something comes up I have the same answers.
On a serious note though, whats a Joint National Conference? And what exactly do you expect me to contribute that hasnt been contributed over and over again?
Oh and by the way Sir. I can see clearly that you spent time reading my comment and your contribution was to tell me to contribute..Thanks, you should run for parliament!
“I find myself reading all the same stuff I have read before”.
Thats a contribution?
Anyway, must run now. Burial at sea on my agenda.
Oh you’re right, thats why I called it a comment.
My condolences,
Geza
How do you prove that someone is in a gang?…. Cause you hang around there?…. The PLP has no idea what to do, this is why they are comming up with these useless things.
most gang members let the whole world know what gang they represent. They put up their gang signs in pictures, have gang names as their Facebook names, and most won’t even be afraid to just tell you that they “rep” park side or 42nd or whatever. The police also have intel.
quite frankly i’m sick and tired of these public forums. i believe we’re just reinventing the wheel at this point. the public has stated on every media outlet possible our concerns and solutions to this ever growing problem. stop talking and start doing!
and by “doing” you mean????? please point me in the direction and I’ll walk.
Why not form a BERMUDA ANTI_GANG TASK FORCE, Headed by a CIA, FBI or what ever ! 15 men and women, trained in all aspect of gangs activities 24/7. Hunt these guys, and declare war on them ….wanted dead or alive or stop this!
Alas, someone is talking sense!!
More Yadda Yadda Yadda from politicians…..this violence could have and should have been clamped out years ago…..the number one way to deter violence is with Intelligence and Informants…..gangs hate each other right…BPS, use gangs against gangs to get gangs charged and sentenced.
Wasn’t Phil crying FOUL when he didn’t have a job under Ewart Brown?!?He just happy 2 b making that TOP DOLLAR AGAiN ……Police State Bermuda!
I agree Jeffp. It’s time to reduce the amount of money we spend on the Bermuda Regiment, at least until we are in a better position financially. Everyone knows that the Regiment is here for “internal security” but in a time when murderers and rapists and burglars are enjoying an open season on us and leaving us with a total lack of security shouldn’t Brian and his privates justify their existance and take a proactive role in our “internal security”? They won’t. They’ll feed us some iggrunce about the White Card and current laws and blah blah blah.
Believe it or not this current situation and government is WHAT WE WANT! If we didn’t want murderers to get away with murder we would rat them out, if we didn’t want the PLP governing us the way they do, bending us over and tailing us whenever they felt like it, we would vote them out! But we don’t.
It’s obvious that the gov and PLP don’t want to arrest gangsters because they and their families represent a significant portion of their votes. Before any kool-aid drinkers pipe up about where are the gangsters, I’ll tell you where they are. Gun(!) Alley in Somerset, White Hill Field, Southampton Rangers, Jones Village, Court Street, Middle Town, 42nd and a whole bunch of other places. They could’ve went to Bootsie’s and got a bunch all at once before he decided he’d had enough! They ain’t hard to find! But no, what does the bobbylon do instead? Set up a stop and search in one area and get a few people with warrants for speeding and arrest a guy or two because they have a half burnt spliff in their pocket. Way to go bobbylon! Got some dangerous dudes off the street AND pissed off so many others. My favourite is the 6-8 cops hanging out in Ewart’s parking lot on Harbour Road dispensing tickets to people not wearing seatbelts! Seatbelts save lives by stopping your face from smashing into the dashboard, I guess the cops think they deflect bullets as well which explains why they have so much of their manpower enforcing this law against victimless crime. The Bermuda Bobbylon Service now has at least one large BMW police car. Seriously? A luxury police car? How many new cops could we get on the BBS for the price of one of these cars? I’m pretty sure there’s an “undercover narco” Beemer as well. Maybe the theory is gangsters like Beemers and will just get in the backseat all by themselves, reducing the need for actual policing.
Perhaps the expensive Regiment junkets to North Carolina, Jamaica etc should be cancelled & the money spent on the BPS. A much better value for money IMO.
Sooo…The Minister produces all this tough talk, just talk, same talk, different mouthpiece. Introducing new legislation is he? When? Watch it get lost in Committee land like the Freedom of Information Act.
The PLP has proved time & time again that they are soft on crime. No surprise there. Look around. How many PLP MPS or PLP heirarchy already have family members already locked up for a variety of crimes or…are awaiting trial? How many are personally under a cloud of suspicion of wrongdoing?
Expecting any change? Only the voters can make a change & at the moment that does not seem likely either.
A “crime legislation to permit the seizure of ill-gotten gains without the need for a criminal conviction”
is a serious thing Bermuda. I wonder if that would include personal purchases made with money from the Public Purse.
The police and the Government need to make gangs afraid! Afraid to conduct their business and afraid to kill other people. Find one of these guys, wait, enter their house, kill them. If gangs believe that the police know who they are and will kill them on site if they are suspected murderers, they will stop killing other people. At the moment, in this country you can shoot someone and 9 out of 10 times get away with it. That has to change!
You actually believe that Bermyman? Read what you wrote my friend.Osama is dead.
Fire vs fire needs more water. If of course you wish to extinguish it.
I know that MI6 or the FBI, would not think twice about taking a few people’s lives if it meant saving law abiding citizens in the long run. In fact I am sure they do, we just never know about it.
Perhaps we need him to elaborate on some of these points:
-a)”Make membership in a gang a criminal offence”
-How can you prove that people are in a gang? Pretty sure they don’t have membership cards… and half of these guys just grew up in the same neighborhood or went to school togethor so how will you separate who is just an acquaintance of someone who may be involved in a “crew” or taking part in illegal behaviour? It all seems pretty subjective!
-b) “Revamp proceeds of crime legislation to permit the seizure of ill-gotten gains without the need for a criminal conviction”
-In a time when Bermudians are trying to make ends meet, you are saying that the police will have the right to take people’s money if they believe it may have been gained through illegal means, without actually convicting the person? So people who have been laid off, and have become handy men doing small jobs here and there to make ends meet could effectively have their hard earned money taken at anytime without proof? This all sounds like it will put a stop to the maniacs out there shooting innocent people! (*rolling eyes*)
How about they start doing stop and searches in the neighbourhoods where gun violence is occurring over and over, instead of parking up at Barnes corner where the people who are doing this stuff would rarely even cross! How about parking up outside known gang members homes and searching them every time they leave their houses, and test them for gun resin every day? Yes. Harass them! You know who they are!
Most of them are confined to small areas of the island. Why not create teams within the police force dedicated to different crews or areas. Hover around that area. Search and remain in those areas non-stop. Follow them. Do what you have to do. Make them feel uncomfortable. Learn their patterns.
I hope and pray that the rumours about police officers tipping off and accepting payoffs from parkside gang members is just that, rumours. Because if there are people claiming to want to serve and protect our community covering for these cowards, then we will never get out of this mess! Enough is enough!
The above announcement is just talk. Let’s see actions that are effective!
“Perhaps we need him to elaborate on some of these points:
-a)”Make membership in a gang a criminal offence”
-How can you prove that people are in a gang? Pretty sure they don’t have membership cards… and half of these guys just grew up in the same neighborhood or went to school togethor so how will you separate who is just an acquaintance of someone who may be involved in a “crew” or taking part in illegal behaviour? It all seems pretty subjective!
-b) “Revamp proceeds of crime legislation to permit the seizure of ill-gotten gains without the need for a criminal conviction”
-In a time when Bermudians are trying to make ends meet, you are saying that the police will have the right to take people’s money if they believe it may have been gained through illegal means, without actually convicting the person? So people who have been laid off, and have become handy men doing small jobs here and there to make ends meet could effectively have their hard earned money taken at anytime without proof? This all sounds like it will put a stop to the maniacs out there shooting innocent people! (*rolling eyes*)”
Agreed people seem to be a bit short sighted
LOL
here is something to think about what makes bermuda any different from places that have for decades just locked up “bad guys” and created laws to make things illegal. if it didnt/doesnt work in those places what makes you think its gonna work in bermy? we are just like the “other” places. lets try soemthing different and drastic. legalize or deciminalize marijuana, reach out to the “gangstas”, dont incarcerate, rehabilitate. if we take a different approach then we might get a different result. just something to think about.
Yes I Bermy guy
@ bermyman violence begets violence it says it in the bible. so if the law/lawmakers take a different approach then the attitudes and results will change.
Ah yes, the bible. The most un-violent book of all. Tell that to the Muslims who were slaughtered in the Holy Crusades, these were sanctioned by the Church. On another note, I don’t agree with Murder of any kind. But I do believe that Gang’s in Bermuda have no fear at all of the Police, and the reason why, is that the police have never shot any of them! If gang bangers are the only ones prepared to kill with guns then they ultimately hold the power that no one else will use. Look at it another way, America drop an atomic bomb on Japan. I don’t think it is right and no one has dropped one since. Why? Because they know the USA have atom bombs, have dropped them before and will do it again if they feel the need. At the moment, a gang member shoots someone, but they have no fear of being shot at apart from by their own kind. And they ain’t afraid of Westgate so that is not a deterrent. I agree with your idea to legalize the erb. It is what makes gang involvement attractive, the $$$ in selling weed. It also funds illegal purchases of fire arms, ammunition and other narcotics.
The Bible also says ‘an eye for an eye’. These young guys are doing just that – they are following the teachings of the biggest BS book of all time.
One more reason the Bible should be banned.
Yes the in the Bible there is written an eye for an eye but this was Hammurabi’s Law and part of the old testimite. With Christ a new testimate was made. Jesus said “turn the other cheek”. You people only pick parts of the book and used those parts to justify your selves in your belief and forgot about the rest. I’m not trying to dis you but please stop dissing Christians because we do not share your beliefs.
@Bermyman there are always three sides to a story your, mine, and the truth. Do you know why the Crusades were started? Why don’t you ask your Muslim friends? They know whether they told you or not the do know why it happened. Also ask them why they where in Europe at the time and why they required a 100 virgin sacrifice from the people of the land they were in. Once you do and put yourself in those people’s shoes maybe think of what it would be like to give your daughter away to an invading force or else you might understand how the ball got rolling on that. Even though it was deemed a religious war so as to gain support it was just man exacting revenge for his loss. Still nothing God like about it.
LOL if this does not help shed some light on the subject nothing anyone will. It’s like trying to tell some one you hurt that you did it because they hurt you and expect them to be nice to you for then on I guess. Also note I have Muslim friends and we do exchange stories from the Bible and Quran and compair some times.
LOL you really do make me laugh saying that I only pick the things I want out of the Bible. That’s exactly what ministers of the church do!! They make a good living at interpretation and conveniently leaving out what they don’t want you to hear.
I was expressing concern that these young boys are doing eye for eye. Not agreeing with it. Clearly, as you say, the Bible is wrong when it says eye for eye since later it says turn the other cheek. Thank you for clearing that up. The Bible, as confirmed by you, contains Lies & BS.
Wow you are not reading what I wrote. This convo is pointless as you just pick and choose. Do you know who Hammurabi was? Yes he was mentioned in the bible as things happened in Babylon whose ruler was Hammurabi, remember what happened next? Guess you should read the whole bible for your self as God wanted us to seek the answers for your self. Ministers can only pick small parts to interpret in a sermon to try to convey a message they wish to convey that week / day. Since you are being lazy just listening to them instead of reading it for yourself. Believe what you will you are the one trying to convert others I’m just stating what has been written in context. Lies and BS is what you seem to be pedaling reminds me of the KKK taking the belief that blacks are inferior, Hitler and the Germans from the other thread at the end of it what you’ve said is a kin to the RG and Minister’s statements.
LOL you just hating on the Bible and God thats all
@ LOL-Stories can be interpreted in many ways and remember the victors are the ones who write the history. I wonder how America’s invasion of Iraq and soon to be Libya will be portrayed to the masses in hundreds of years time? Probably much like the justifiable crusades of the time we speak of. But does this mean it is right to kill others based on religion? It is part of the reason we have Muslim fundamentalists. I think though LOL; going back to your point and referencing the so called “truth’ in any story or book of stories that is the bible is very difficult to believe something so old that has been written and rewritten through the ages. The Bible was written in order to uniform the religion of Christianity, which had become the one religion of Rome almost overnight. It was a compilation of knowledge, but served a purpose much like a constitution does in maintaining civilized society and law and order. The irony is that we discuss such matters at a time where Bermuda needs morality within it’s grass roots, but the people truly seem to believe they can do whatever they want on this Island at times, even our Politicians fail to lead by wholesome example. The social underclass that breeds our young killers of today is down to the lack of family structure, or the need to be responsible for ones actions. But did not Dame Lois Brown Evans encourage he rapid spread of the black population to seek a larger voting base and ultimately power? In theory it worked, but what about the repercussions that having children out of wedlock with multiple partners is acceptable in some areas of the community? So much so it is joked about amongst fellow Bermudians, particularly males. I could go on, but this is not the place or the time. Be spiritual but do not take everything religion feeds you (or the government) as fact is my two cents.
I agree to a point one should consider the source as far as politicians and religious activists are concerned hence why I urged Tcross eyed bear to read the bible for him/herself although I’m betting bear is a he. As far as what I said about history of Europe and Northern Africa are concerned that is a fact hence why we have mixed and black Portuguese, Spanish, and French. Also so explains the architecture changes that can be seen in those places. As I said man only needs a reason to justify just about anything. My reference to Babylon is timely as well then because as you say people think that they can do anything and it should be acceptable and so did they. I respect your opinion on Religion as I respect other religions to each his own like I said I’m not trying to convince anyone of my belief for I know it is my belief.
Oh and just to answer your question I have never read in the bible or seen any justification in the religion I belong to justify killing of others. Yes the Roman Catholic Church did heinous things like many others did in the name of God but Man was the source of these things that we speak of man justified the wars throughout the ages. The only close reference to God oking killing that I can think of was in a talk to Abraham about Babylon. Even then he was willing to spare them if only a same amount renounced their ways and believed in him. It’s been awhile I might have to read it again but Jesus whom I follow never condones killing even when they killed him. If these young one out there followed this example things would be very different out there now.
LOL
I do not have all the answers but I actively seek those that I can attempt to answer.
I think it is time that the govt started to look at the option of if there is more than one person murdered on the gun that someone is being charged with using than that person should be charged with all the murders and that would put the pressure on the accused to speak up. Make them accoutable as they obviously will know something!!!!
Ya so the others who are guilty have a fall guy and they get off scott free..
LOL
Do you have a better solution LOL?
The only viable solution is for the people of Bermuda to tell the Police what they know. Mothers, girlfriends and neighbors need to set high standards for them selves. Legislation will only give up soceities rights and then what? You will go to work and home as you will not be allowed on the street after 6 for the sake of the tourists the police will be running the streets and everyone will wonder what happened. It only take a few bad apples to ruin it for everyone and the only thing that can be done is to stand up to those who are doing a pack. It will not be easy but the more it happens the more effective it will be. I do not think that Government can just legislate this away it will have to come from the people. I that note we do need stiffer sentences for those convicted, reabilitation programs while there and I do not think anyone should get time off for good behaviour as anyone can put on a front. Please note this is like western medicine it only treats the “pain” in order to stem the cause education needs to be fixed (parents need to spend some time with their kids and stay on top of them), inflation needs to be kept in check and prices need to come down some. Not sure but maybe Government can help with that I think. These things contribute to the causes of crime. For those that do it just to be cool or what ever they need a shrink.
LOL
LOL
My question where is the Governor on this issue, he is the person that is in charge of the Police Service.. I notice he does not have much to say and is not even concerned he also is still collecting a big paycheck maybe his pay should be cut as well…
Ask him. Oh thats right. You want him to call you. Damn….
The govenor is here to have a good time..to wine and dine on our time…when was the last time we lot heard from him ?? the Island is in a turmoil…and not a word from the main man who is resposible for the internal security of this Island.
The Governor is prepping for his big trip to NC to watch the regiment march around over there. I think that having all those kids march around in front of him makes the little guy feel powerful. Although he is only a figurehead and has no real power, he should be ashamed that he is not out there making speeches about how to fix the crime problem, offering constructive criticism on government policy and generally tying to look after the well being of this island and its inhabitants as he was charged to do. It may infuriate the current administration but so be it-he has a responsibility!
“Legalize the erb”.
Damn….Why didn’t I think of that.No more problems. People with money can buy and people with no money are sure to die…….
These solutions are ridiculous, this is a dire situation that must be tackled immediately with extreme force. The first action to be taken is to form a Bermudian swat/cia type squad, because its obvious these gangsters are organized and very intelligent to be able to pull off 1 murder a month with a 70% chance of GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER ON A 20 sq.mile island with 60,000!!! eyes watching. Second Remove Mr.Millfield, i dont have to elaborate on his ineffectiveness, and replace him with a MAJOR CITY COP ex. London. PS. at this rate we need to have a serious discussion about the legalization of firearms for citizens.
Do you mean Mirfield? If so I agree with you!
Nice that he is going to meet with the community,but people would rather see work done first we can talk later.He also said we will come together to figure out solutions.What have you been doing all this time??You should already know what to do!
I also never heard him say once the word DRUGS and what it is doing to the community and the mindset it creates,its too many unstable people walking around.
I look forward to his future initiatives on solving this crime but when exactly is this going to take place??
Until then what can Bermudians do to stay safe??
Too many people in homes high on drugs and families too afraid to turn them in,hopefully police start busting in some doors,
Bernews why edit my posts? have you seen comments on msnbc and other American sites.
i got a comment up saying “You have already said that” and it didnt go through.
I mean cmon
Back in the day the Police force was a gang who protected another more ruthless gang ,the forty thieves . There is a gang operating up on the hill who wouldn’t take a pay cut .There is a gang of restaurateurs who try thier outmost to control every eatery on this island .There is a gang of clergyman an woman who preach ,Praise the Lord and send me the money . There is a gang of man and woman who control the energy thats produced , the food we eat ,and the cloths we wear , I believe they are called the Chamber of Commerce , they say Buy Bermuda at inflated prices . One car dealership tried to out-gang all the gangs by buying up almost every franchise that existed . I say Minister it is high time that You get cracking on anti-gang legislation .And lets not forget about that gang of about 50 bicycles with those intense lights coming at you every morning an giving no quater to other road users .
And the biggest Gangsters by far are the contractors who seem to get every Large Government job , and without fail always get more Bucks for the Bang .
The folly goes on and on
I know but if you look at capitalism in a knut shell those things are encouraged.