The first ?reconciliation? meeting between gang members and the community took place last night at the Bermuda Institute in Southampton.

More than 60 people showed up for the meeting to speak to at least half a dozen gang members who sat in the crowd.

Seven speakers took part in the discussion with questions fielded from audience members.

The general consensus from the speakers that emerged was that gang violence is a problem for which everyone is responsible.

Southampton West Central MP Jon Brunson said that young black men join gangs and are fighting because they feel disenfranchised.

He said that if Bermuda ?was a home? then these men ?feel they are standing on the outside trying to look in because they have no home.?

But he said organisations, including Family Learning Centre, Family Services and Focus, can build bridges between gang members and the larger community by listening to them.

P.c. Stuart Crockwell, who is in charge of the Serious Crimes Unit of the Police Service, said that ?there are prisoners so well educated at Westgate that they would turn international business upside down. But we forget them because they are in prison.?

UBP Senator Leonard Santucci said he had recently spoken to a gang member and asked: ?What it would take to stop (the violence)?? And they said: ?It?s all about who is top dog. Today we fight with machetes and sticks, but we?re prepared to go home and pull out the guns.?

But Rev. Santucci replied: ?You need to take a message back. Tell them some of us are not going to tolerate it and will stand against it.?

Duane Santucci, 39, of Southampton said that he had spoken at 42nd Street for five-and-a-half hours on Saturday even though he only planned to talk for 30 minutes.

?Not all adults are good,? Mr. Santucci said. ?Drugs and guns are rampant in Bermuda. Adults are financing this, some people take payment in one hand and turn their heads with the other. We must tell the street folk to listen to us.?

Mr. Santucci encouraged the audience to look around last night, for it was only ?when the community came back together could we reach out to the street.

?We won?t reach the streets without each other,? Mr. Santucci said.