A gang expert hit out over poor attendance at an anti-violence forum, telling the sparse audience: ?This room should be packed.?

The event at CedarBridge Academy last night saw just 53 people turn up. They heard how when speakers went into an Island school yesterday, some would-be gangsters turned up wearing their ?colours? - with one declaring he lived and died for the cause.

US Police gang expert L. Louis Jordan warned: ?You need to understand that we are all in this boat together. If our young people drown, we drown...there?s a lot more that needs to be done. The reality is that this room should be packed. It should be full. Because if something happened on this Island and - God forbid - someone is shot and killed, there would be standing room only in this room.?

Derrick Burgess, Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety, kicked off the free-of-charge event by declaring Government had a ?zero tolerance approach? to acts of violence.

?Our homes are threatened because of violence. Our schools are under threat because of violence. Our streets have become unsafe because of violence. The peace and tranquillity of our communities are being replaced by anti-social behaviour and disorderly conduct. Our Island reputation as a destination of choice is being undermined because of incidents of violence amongst us,? he warned.

The forum was headed by Sgt. DeLacy Davis, a 20-year New Jersey Police veteran who is helping Government formulate a $350,000 anti-gang action plan.

He and his team have talked to gang members on the Island?s streets as well as school students.

?Some feel locked out of the system, some feel that they don?t have access. Some feel that no-one cares, no-one loves them, no-one?s hugged them, no-one?s kissed them, and nobody?s said ?I love you,? he said.

Describing his experience yesterday at a local school - which he chose not to name - he said some of the young men came in ?flying their flags? - i.e showing their gang allegiances.

?My team said ?how many gang members are in the room?? and no-one declared being a gang member. One of my members took the flag and the kid got up in arms and said ?that?s mine, and where I come from we live and die for that flag?.?

Sgt. Davis said the young man was ?angry for a while, because what he really wanted to do was pretend he was a gang member, and pretend to be tough, but he wasn?t going to stand up and snatch his flag back.?

Sgt. Davis said that while Bermuda does not have America?s gang problem yet, it is crucial to take pro-active steps. He revealed his team has held discussions with the clergy about a project called ?Talks at the Wall.? He explained the idea is to reach potential gang members when they are still sitting on walls, ?just hanging out.? He explained churches would identify sites and adopt them - not with the aim of converting people, but ?to extend a helping hand?.

A former US gang member, who introduced himself by the street-name ?Loose,? talked about his history of drug-dealing and abuse. Stressing the importance of making youngsters feel valued, he said: ?I?m asking y?all to do simple things. When you come home, check on your kids. Ask ?how was your day? What did you do in school? What did you learn? Tell them you love them. They need to know that. For the men - hug your sons. They need that.?

The audience was mainly adult, with a scattering of youngsters. One of them, 17-year-old Saltus student Lorin Tannock, came because he is researching a school project on gangs.

?I?ve got a lot of friends in gang-related situations, and I wanted to learn more about it,? he explained.

?Right now, it?s pretty bad, and it?s only going to get worse if something isn?t done. I think probably it is about popularity. They are under pressure sometimes.?

Another audience member, Rev. Laurie Tingley of the Centenary United Reformed Church said: ?As a church, we cannot stand idly by and let gang violence grow.?