Minister: Government’s Fight Against Gangs
Speaking in the House of Assembly, Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley today [June 21] provided an update on the “Government’s fight against guns, gangs, drugs and violence.”
Minister Dunkley said, “The gang mediation programme fashioned on Boston’s StreetSafe model has been revived and provided with an enhanced structure and resources.
“The programme is up and running and informally, some of the critical groundwork is being laid to ensure that there is an open line of communication to prevent minor matters from boiling over into serious crimes.
Minister Dunkley said the Boston team that trained Bermudians in StreetSafe techniques last year have returned to conduct further training and to assess our progress to date.
“Whilst I am not at liberty to share details in this forum, I am pleased to confirm that already a firearm has been seized following such a tip to the Police. This is in addition to the firearm seized in Somerset on Tuesday,” continued Minister Dunkley.
“As I indicated when the Gun Bounty was launched, this is not the cure for the issues that confront us, but it is one of the tools available and we must do everything we can to get guns off the street.
“One firearm off the street is a measure of success which validates this Government’s determination to engage the community at every level of this fight against guns, gangs, drugs and violence.”
Minister Dunkley’s full statement follows below:
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide for Honourable members and the public an update on two initiatives launched in support of this Government’s fight against guns, gangs, drugs and violence.
As I indicated previously in this Honourable House, the gang mediation programme fashioned on Boston’s StreetSafe model has been revived and provided with an enhanced structure and resources.
Mr. Speaker, the programme is up and running and informally, some of the critical groundwork is being laid to ensure that there is an open line of communication to prevent minor matters from boiling over into serious crimes.
I can advise Honourable Members that the Boston team that trained Bermudians in StreetSafe techniques last year have returned to conduct further training and to assess our progress to date. Mr. Speaker, we are in good stead and the training has gone exceptionally well.
I am confident that this programme will go from strength to strength and will provide the much needed alternatives to the gang lifestyle and reclaim a generation of our Island’s young people.
Separately, Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased to update Honourable Members and the public on the Gun Bounty initiative.
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members will recall last month’s launch of the Gun Bounty initiative in partnership with Crime Stoppers. Since that time, we have run a consistent media campaign emphasizing the importance of getting firearms off the streets.
The tag line has been “If you know something, say something”.
Mr. Speaker, whilst I am not at liberty to share details in this forum, I am pleased to confirm that already a firearm has been seized following such a tip to the Police. This is in addition to the firearm seized in Somerset on Tuesday.
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated when the Gun Bounty was launched, this is not the cure for the issues that confront us, but it is one of the tools available and we must do everything we can to get guns off the street. One firearm off the street is a measure of success which validates this Government’s determination to engage the community at every level of this fight against guns, gangs, drugs and violence.
Mr. Speaker, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of individuals speaking up when they have information that can lead to successes like this. At every level we, as a community, must continue to do our part to reclaim the way of life we desire for Bermuda. Let me take this opportunity to reiterate the message of the campaign: “If you know something, say something.”
With the strong, targeted enforcement of the Bermuda Police Service, the growing impact of gang mediation and the development of opportunities for our young people, we are continuing to make inroads in the mission to make Bermuda safer.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Sing canaries…sing, sing, sing!
‘They’ did nothing between 2008 – 2012….whilst our boys were overtly killing each other. I know some feelings are ‘hurt’ but Dunkley and his team are making a difference where others just stood by and collected their 160K…..saddening to say the least…I wonder if the MP pension plan can be adjusted because some that hung around until they were vested certainly have a lot to answer for….go figure. 102.7 allava sudden has a voice of ‘reason’ after December nit picking on everything and nothing.
What is dunklely doing!!! And remember these guys that are killing are black what does he care. And you must remember in 2003 he said we must bring back hanging. Our jails are 99% black men so who was he talking about hanging? Would he have made that statement if the jail 99% white???
D islands mostly blacks ya dummy…dats why its like dat deya
@ Mad dog. Looks like you have an infestation of fleas or perhaps rabies. Your racially fueled hatred has blinded you. May the Lord have mercy on your sorry a**.
You sound like Paula Deen!!!
LOL without prejudice…that’s funnie.
Dont belive that bun out. Bermuda is 54% black outside of prison and 98% inside.
@mad dog It doesn’t take much for you to bring race into the picture. At least he is doing and not just talking you should be thankful for that. And trying to find fault. That will get us no where
@maddog . What a f**** up thing to say . Just because you don’t care about other races doesn’t mean that’s how everyone else feels . Can we just look at each other as Bermudian regardless of race , it’s people like you destroying this island .All you old racist **** white or black can f*** off or die.
Until the colour of a mans skin has no more significance than the colour of his eyes , everywhere a war
Thank you – I had taken a break from reading and commenting on this site because the majority of people who make idiotic comments like that do so because they are anonymous and cowards!!
@Mad dog -Show me your value by standing by your statements publicly with an audience. Are White men selling drugs in your community and DESTROYING black women and men?? NO it is … men who POISON MOTHERS,FATHERS and YOUNG PEOPLE here so that they can boast about how much they have made off the SUFFERING of THEIR own BLACK BROTHERS & SISTERS!!!
STAND for SOMETHING dude!! PEOPLE are SICK and TIRED of the RACE CARD being FLAILED when SOMEONE for the HUMAN RACE is coming up with SOLUTIONS!! If you are NOT a part of the SOLUTION you will ALWAYS REMAIN a part of the PROBLEM!!!!!
Only in Bermuda do white’s have the temerity to claim that they are the new victims of racism (have they no shame) despite all evidence to the contrary. Paula Dean would feel right at home here.
Just for the record there has and remains only one race that has practiced racism in Bermuda and it has not been black Bermudians notwithstanding the false moral equivalence on this issue promoted by some self serving white respondents.
Finally, there is such a thing as “colour blind racism” as well. And judging by many of the comments- again – by the largely white respondents featured here and the blacks who “mimic” them – Bermuda must be its unofficial capital.
Absolute nollocks.
How about the gangs in suits and ties!!!!
@Swing voter…If you think that the progress made in this fight only commenced since Mr. Dunkley has been minister, then it goes to show how naive you are. Nothing happens over night and as someone who is actively involved in this fight, I can tell you that the groundwork for the success that we are now seeing now was laid long ago by some hardworking people both politicians and law enforcement…
…as was the groundwork for the crime! say, around 1998?!
You mean around the time all the blacks in Bermuda kick the racist white UBP party to the curve. Yea that’s about right.
@Yep yep, You hit the nail on the head. It was a great day when the white raciest UBP were kicked to the curb by the blacks in Bermuda. Then the blacks in Bermuda supported a black raciest PLP for 14 years. So in your option it’s bad to be a white raciest but acceptable to be a black raciest !
@ Bulldog….I’d like to edit your 2nd sentence…change “Nothing happens overnight” to “NOTHING HAPPENED”. It was ‘our’ problem to handle….and our 160K politicians did nothing but wring their hands back then. My family ensured that our teens where monitored closely (they stay in an high risk neighborhood). And personally, I did what I could as a swing voter.
@BUlldog: Parenchief didn’t have a clue.
I disagree with you, I believe that Minister Dunkley does care, he is very passionate when you speak with him about crime. Stop being so negative and support him and his team.
The issue here is not about black or white. It is not about using the blogs to bicker with each other. In my opinion the real issue should be identifying the purpose of publicly saying that the Tuesday recovery of the firearm was a result of a tip. It would appear this was done for political gain and no other purpose. To publicly do this at such an early stage and to be so specific has the potential to but individuals at danger and discourage others from coming for forward. The Minister should have considered the potential consequence of his action before speaking publicly.
I’d introduced a Mr. Jay Paris to Bermuda Family Support / Police in an attempt to merge his organization along with local groups to tackle the problems we seem to be facing more and more each day of each year to the point we’ve lost a whole generation to either the drug culture or gang related crimes…
Mr Jay Paris of North American Family Institute(N.A.F.I.)Corp. reaches into basically Boston “inner city” neigbourhoods tackling the many gang related problems they face.
To find out more about N.A.F.I. contact:jayparis@nafi.com Mr Jay Paris is Director of Program Development & Services or write Mr. Jay Paris Director of Youth Link North American Family Institute 26 Howley Street Peabody Mass. 01960 U.S.A.
Good idea I’ve heard of this program @ Ray….Dennis Watson has a similar program with proven results where ever it was introduced in North America. It was proposed to the Government a few years ago….I guess it wasn’t good enough for the decision makers back then.