New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg honoured Bermudian motivational speaker Dennis Rahiim Watson earlier this week for his work with inner city black young men in the US.

Mr. Watson was born on Ord Road, and raised in Southampton, before he moved to Harlem. He is now the chairman of the National Youth and Gang Violence Task-force and was honoured for his various campaigns to stop gang violence and promote "black on black love".

Mayor Bloomberg said: "On behalf of the City of New York, I applaud Mr. Watson, and everyone who is involved with the Coalition of Concerned Black Mothers and Fathers. "Your efforts will go a long way toward ensuring a safer, more harmonious future for us all, and I commend you for your dedication to decreasing violence in your communities."

During the reception Mr. Watson said: "The impact of illegal guns in the hands of black males will wipe out a whole generation if good citizens do not stand-up and to something."

He added: " "I am so glad that in the days of my rebellious youth that my neighbours, aunts and uncles would frequently give me a backhand slap or bop me upside the head to let me know when my behaviour was unacceptable and inappropriate — 40 years later I am so thankful for all the licks I got back in the day.

"That's why I can speak the language and win over the thugs, the fools, the crews, the gangbangers, the hoodlums, and anti social youth in need of mentors, guidance, direction, support, motivational, inspiration and a hug or word of encouragement from their biological father or a strong male figure or role model."

Mr. Watson said he owed his success, and inspiration, to his mother Eula Watson Stewart and his grandmothers Florence Daniels and Margaret Outerbridge Watson. The three women regularly told him: "If you make your bed hard — you lay in it" and "I don't want you running around dragging my good name in the mud."

Mr. Watson said the work the Coalition does is important. "The leading cause of death among young black males is homicide," he said. "And additionally, guns, drugs and despair is a signal that home grown terrorism is on its way unless we come together as a family and as a community to address the causes and to put an end to the violence of angry, young, fatherless black males."

Mr. Watson has also visited schools across the Island giving speeches on the need for young black men to stop using violence to resolve their issues.