HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC - A 22-year-old man was shot dead and another injured, as drugs-fuelled gang warfare flared up less than 24 hours after the Governor and Premier said they were “in unison” over tackling gun related crimes.
Police said that the latest killing took place in Sandys parish at the west of the island, while the injured man was shot near a bowling alley in Warwick parish. Their names have not yet been released.
Since May this year, police have reported 16 gun-related crimes, with three being fatal.
Governor Sir Richard Gozney and Premier Dr. Ewart Brown had earlier told a joint news conference that they were working together to tackle gun crime on the island, despite a difference of opinion over who should have operational control over policing.
The Governor, as the Queen’s representative in this British Overseas Territory, is responsible for internal and external security, but the Premier wants the government to have control of the police.
Brown told reporters that he was pleased with the initiatives Sir Richard had implemented — a week after the pair had seemed to be at loggerheads.
“We are closer to being on the same page than ever before,” he said.
The press conference came after two statements released last week appeared to give mixed messages.
The first, from both men, stated they were working well together, but in the second, released within an hour of the first, Brown repeated his demand for control over the police and said he was “pleading” with Government House to establish new policing strategies.
When asked about the conflicting statements, Brown said: “We are closer in terms of working in unison than we have ever been.”
He said that while the government’s stance on operational control over policing remained the same, both government and Sir Richard were working well together well.
He also said the apparent conflict between the two statements released last week came down to timing, saying his personal statement had been drafted before the joint statement.
But Brown, appearing on a television programme on Monday night, said he felt the police had to get tough with the island’s gangs.
“We felt three years ago and also today that one part of their work must be to speak the language of the street, and must effectively counter what is going on. We feel we do have a police service quite capable of getting this under way and taking the measures necessary.”
The Premier added the current situation was like “deja vu” indicating that he had witnessed it before while living in Los Angeles in the 1980s.
“It’s the same thing, young black men destroying themselves, primarily fuelled by the drug business. In order to influence some of the processes of the drug trade, guns are being used in order to do that.”
The Premier added the gang problem was however, not specific to Bermuda and was a culture throughout the Caribbean region.
He said during the recent Overseas Territories conference Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos presented a similar picture of gang violence.
“This problem is not a Bermudian problem, it is not a North American problem, it’s a problem occurring throughout the Diaspora. It’s a phenomenon threatening the fabric of society and the tourism industry throughout the Caribbean.”
Meanwhile, the Corporation of Hamilton and government are to share the cost of a new US$3 million scanner to step up security on the docks. The X-ray machine will scan shipping containers for drugs and guns.
The corporation is also spending more than half a million dollars on installing extra closed-circuit television cameras in the city to fight crime.
Death penalty to all corrupt police and public officals. for it is treasonous to the country.
When they take bribes and allow known drug dealers to opperate with impunity.
Death penelty to all known drug dealers.
Death penalty to anyone caught bringing guns into our countries.
Ban gangster rap and danchall music, as well as filthly songs which sing about sex.
Ask pastors to get involved in community outreach as well as politicians.
Instead of just hanging with the rich.
Pay police the same as what a politician makes or more
Pay teachers the same as what a politician mkaes or more.
Change the old and outdated educational system.
A system created to enslave.
Get our great minds to think of a better source of feeding our kids minds.
I’m sure the educational system and the manner inwhich it is prepared and fed is the same everywhere.
Treat the young men of our nations with respect even if they don’t deserve it. don’t judge them, don’t condemn them, embrace them and their issues.
In school we should learn how to build boats learn to swim, dive, etc.
and aggressive argriculture corriculum is also needed.
Playing busy with running the country?
You our leaders do not wash the feet of our nations yet you want things to run right.
You pastors do not wash the feet of your congregation much less our youth.
What you fail to realise is we will soon be old and they will be running the country.
don’t you think, if this current and popular trend continues, tourism will die.
Tourism is under threat from other better more peaceful parts of the world as well. the worldwide web has opened up place like thailand and singapore and Africa as go to places.
imagine if all those tourism dollars are no longer in our mids and we have no other resource to feed and clothe our people?
Then instead of thinking, we do a knee jerk reaction to the problem. namely lock up the victims of your(leaders)
lack of vision and preparation.
I loved reading the above comment. i think it’s as accurate as it can be.
but what stood out was the part that he has seen it before in LA. they say hindsite is 20/20 vision.
Do you know that this is where the music comes from that our kids listen to?
and what is it that they teach? under the disguise of “im only reporting what goes on in my area” they are able to push this “lo life” material out and earn substantial amounts of revenue from it.
And do you know that record companies in America only sign atrist that talk about filth and guns and killing over stupid stuff?
If an artist is singing about anything good and he or she is black they dont get signed.
you need to start thinking of how you can create an outlet for our local atrist to get out. give them ways to use their craft to earn a living.and only sign those who have clean music.
this may sound stupid to you, but music is like food to the soul. So if like water, being contaminated and not suitable for drinking, so is mordern music. how will we be able to apply reverse osmosis to the music industries.
Popular rapper “TI” goes to prison for multiple gun charges and is realease in a short period, popular rapper “LIL Wayne” goes to jail on the same charges and will come out in 2yrs time to a heros welcome.
Our youth are looking at them as role models wether we accept it or not.
Invest in the youth invest in education, invest in the penol system invest in educatng police for crime prevention. and stop being ignorant when times have changed.