Crime Report: “Useful & Worthwhile Compilation”
Minister of National Security Wayne Perinchief indicated today [July 25] that he has found the Report of the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on the Causes of Violent Crime and Gun Violence in Bermuda to be a “useful and worthwhile” compilation of the issues.
Minister Perinchief said, “During the year that the Committee took to complete its work, the Government listened and responded to many of the same calls from organizations and citizens. The Integrated Gang Task Force has been formed and is meeting; agencies are sharing information and intelligence and joint operations between the Police and HM Customs are yielding overwhelming successes.”
Among the Report’s recommendations is the formation of a single border control agency. “The Premier set this goal at the beginning of this Administration and an organizational structure for a Department of Border Control has been recommended to Cabinet and significant consultation has taken place with internal stakeholders. We are on track”, the Minister said.
Dozens of people appeared before the committee including Digicel CEO and Rise Above co-founder Wayne Caines, a group of CedarBridge Academy guidance counselors, community activist Scott Smith, former Senator Gina Spence, gay rights activist Mark “Sybil” Anderson, former Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith, Collector of Customs Winifred Fostine-DeSilva, former Police officer and UN Peacekeeper Jeff Baron. The video of the Committee presenting its findings is below:
With respect to the Report’s other recommendations, the Minister observed: “The public response was important and it is clear that the people of Bermuda want to address the cycle of violence at every level. The Government is working in the areas of education, community development and within Corrections to intervene, arrest the behaviours and promote alternatives to anti-social lifestyles.”
The Minister concluded: “As we debate the Report, I believe the people of Bermuda will recognize that significant action has already been taken and in many areas is actively underway.”
I guess I see things a bit different standing on the other side of the fence. I read in the paper how they feel crime is “down”. Just for the record, it would be a little hard to keep the same crime rate we have had when we are dealing with murders. The more people they kill the less we have to committee crimes. Sad but true.
Crime is not down in Bermuda, its more along the lines of known crime is down in Bermuda.