Mr. Speaker, since the Christmas holidays, Bermuda has experienced a rise in serious crimes, some involving firearms.
Our community is rightly concerned about this apparent spike in criminal activity and today I wish to address some of those concerns as the Minister of National Security.
Mr. Speaker, let me first make it clear that we are a country of laws and those who break the law should expect to be brought to justice and to answer for their conduct. I know we can all agree the vast majority of Bermudians go about their daily lives respecting the laws of the land and encourage others to do so as well. It is a minority of our citizens who make choices that negatively affect the sense of safety and security for the law abiding majority.
The strength of our community is shown when people come forward if they have witnessed a crime, have information that can lead to an arrest or assist the Police in their investigations. These courageous acts have proven successful in the past and ordinary citizens continue to have a role to play in ensuring that criminals are brought to justice.
In each of these recent cases, I echo the words of the investigating officers and likewise challenge our citizens who have information related to these crimes to come forward. If you know something, say something.
Mr. Speaker, it is also important that we as a community support the police in their investigations and the pro-active measures they must now employ to disrupt the rhythm of those who would engage in further violent crime. I am regularly briefed by the Commissioner and his senior command, and I have pledged the full support of the Government for their efforts both in investigating crime as well as the actions they must take to reduce tensions and provide reassurance to the affected communities.
Mr. Speaker, some of the commentary on this increase in serious crime has focused on the continuing economic challenges in our community.
As I have said before, the economic decline this government is required to reverse is perhaps the single most important task we have. While the successes we have seen and those we can forecast are beginning to reach families in need across the island our commitment remains to bringing relief to those who most need it in a sustainable and lasting way with the sense of urgency that the situation demands.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to being a country of laws, we as a people have always made good choices. When confronted with adversity we channel our frustrations into innovation, self-help; demanding the best of those who we have elected to serve us, and ensuring that the most vulnerable in our society are taken care of first. So I think that we can all agree that resorting to violence whether out of anger and frustration or committing crimes by anyone against their fellow Bermudians in the name of meeting a desperate need is simply unacceptable.
At the core of our society is a foundation of mutual respect and understanding. These acts of violence strike at this core because we often know the men and women who engage in this criminal behaviour. In spite of our cosmopolitan outlook, we are still small enough for these acts of violence to resonate across communities and for the ill-judged actions of a few to affect so many; even their own relatives and friends.
Mr. Speaker, concurrent with this statement in this Honourable House, the Commissioner of Police is releasing crime statistics for 2015. The detailed breakdown of crimes and their percentage increases is something he is best qualified to deal with and explain. However, I can advise Honourable Members that crime did rise in 2015 when compared with 2014, but it is important to note that it is in contrast to 2014 which was a historically low point for criminal offences committed in Bermuda.
Mr. Speaker, one of the principal ways in which we are turning the tide of the gang lifestyle is through direct intervention, meeting people where they are. In keeping with this commitment, Team Street Safe continues to provide the critical interventions required to arrest the growth and lure of the gang culture.
Honourable Members will recall that Team Street Safe (TSS) was launched in May 2013 as a new gang intervention programme modeled after the ‘Street Safe Boston” project. The purpose of the programme is to intervene with known individuals involved in gun violence, and to reduce gang and gun violence in the community.
Team Street Safe is based on street level intervention with the structure of action research allowing the interactive inquiry process to drive the data-driven analysis to understand the underlying causes of the gang phenomena and local environmental factors. TSS has adopted the strengths and lessons learned from the Street Safe Boston model and tailored them for the local needs. The goal is to utilize the lessons learned to enable future predictions and recommendations for service provision and prevention priorities to reach the desired results of peaceful, healthy and safe neighborhoods for Bermuda. The focus for TSS is twofold:
- Intervention Level –Identification, detect and interrupt violence to move proven risk individuals (PRI’s) towards a productive and healthy lifestyle.
- Action Research Level – Build the infrastructure on an action research focus to understand the intricacies of the local problem for prevention and management over time.
Mr. Speaker, Team Street Safe’s objectives are:
- To build relationships with gang members known as Proven Risk Individuals (PRI’s);
- To connect PRI’s to resources as a transition out of the gang life. These resources can include employment, a change in living arrangements, educational opportunities and family services.
- To negotiate and mediate between rival groups; and
- To develop social contracts to build productive citizens whilst disarming them from gang and gun violence.
Mr. Speaker, the programme targets proven risk individuals (known to be involved or actively involved) in gangs, crews or antisocial groups, or engaged in antisocial behaviours and within the age bracket of 18 to 35 years. Individuals between the ages of 18 and 19 years will be referred to the Mirrors program as a first step.
Mr. Speaker, Street Safe is just one of the initiatives promoted by this government as a means to intervene and provide an alternative structure for those at risk of offending and falling into the negative influences of the gang lifestyle.
Mr. Speaker, the Inter-Agency Gang Task Force (IGTF) and the Inter-Agency Gang Enforcement Team (IGET) continue to meet this Government’s promise to bring together all of those agencies that are engaged in the prevention, management and rehabilitation of at-risk members of our society.
The Inter-Agency Community Response Team (ICR) was enacted with the goals of:
- Gaining an understanding of youth who are at-risk for gang membership by zone (East, West and Central) and prevailing gang culture;
- Promoting community engagement focused on positively engaging Bermuda’s at-risk youth, and lessening the pull towards anti-social behavior; and
- Ensuring that there are appropriate and effective resources in place to implement any relevant best practiced or innovative recommendations and priorities are met.
Mr. Speaker, the ICR has been engaged in those communities most directly impacted by gun violence and serious anti-social activity. Their strength has been realized in bringing together, churches, community groups, charities, and relevant government departments to unite in addressing the underlying needs of these proven risk individuals.
Mr. Speaker, Bermuda is on a path of renewal and I believe that the majority of Bermudians recognize that and are determined to see this country succeed, irrespective of political allegiances, race, employment status or economic challenges.
This Government will continue to use every available means to promote positive lifestyle choices to our young people whose formative years must be devoted to education, sports and strong family life. We will continue the effort to prove that the gang lifestyle is no life at all and that this society needs every Bermudian fully engaged and involved in making this country successful. Lastly, we will continue to support the Police as they lead the fight against crime and provide strong enforcement as the vital investigative arm of the criminal justice system. Their commitment to making Bermuda safer is strengthened by our active support of their efforts.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.