The Mayor of New York has paid tribute to Bermudian motivational speaker Dennis Rahiim Watson for his efforts to stop gun violence in the city.

Bill de Blasio presented Mr Watson with a proclamation at a June 25 reception celebrating his “tireless efforts” with young black men in the five boroughs for the last 40 years. The proclamation described Mr Watson as having “used his many gifts and talents to raise awareness nationwide about the deadly consequences throughout the city, state and nation”.

Mr de Blasio said at the reception at the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building Art Gallery: “Watson has delivered his powerful message of self-respect, personal responsibility and concern for others by visiting high schools, correctional facilities, juvenile detention centres, colleges and universities and domestic violence centres, offering hope and inspiration.”

He added: “Dennis Rahiim Watson has received tremendous positive feedback from every major black organisation in New York for the hundreds of seminars and workshops on conflict resolution, forgiveness and respect for life.”

Mr Watson was a pupil at Prospect Secondary School for Boys in the 1960s before heading to the US and attending Harlem Preparatory School, Fordham University, Pace University and New York University.

He said his time at school in Bermuda gave him a “clear understanding of the struggles that young black males go through to prove that they are worthwhile and valuable and as a result of that experience it help[ed] me to resolve conflicts and it also taught me self-discipline enough to survive four decades in New York City”.

Mr Watson said: “When I meet with gang leaders throughout the country they cannot give me an intelligent reason for the senseless taking of innocent lives and after attending hundreds of funerals for young black males I am 100 percent convinced that no one has the right to be judge, jury or executioner.

“Only during my prison visits do I get the opportunity to hear the remorse and sorrow from young men who are serving life sentences and who, in retrospect, wish that they could relive and take back the pain and suffering that their actions have caused mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, teachers and loved ones.”

Mr Watson can be contacted at the Center for Black Male Success by e-mailing successdrw@yahoo.com or calling 347-861-2359.