While they expressed concern with the seemingly on-going feud between Bermudian and Jamaican youths, long-term Jamaican residents on the Island had mixed reactions when asked whether they believed there was a drug war going on.

All of the people spoke to The Royal Gazette on the condition of anonymity.

"It's definitely a drug war," said one businessman. "It's coming from a get rich quick scheme, particularly among the young ones."

The Pembroke man, who arrived on the Island almost 20 years ago for employment opportunities, said it was common knowledge that some Jamaicans were coming to Bermuda under false pretences. According to him, if they were coming to Bermuda to better themselves, they would not end up in certain negative situations.

"This type of violence proves that," he said. "Some are marrying homeless people just to get papers, but then they don't want to get a job."

And, the man said, Jamaicans on the Island need to understand that no matter how long they live in Bermuda, they are still foreigners and should respect the country or they will ruin opportunities for other Jamaicans in the future.

"People who want to come here will not get the chance because a few are messing it up. Immigration will penalise the innocent because of a few bad apples. You can't blame them" he said.

Another man agreed.

"And if some of these Jamaicans who are here have to be sent home, send them. They are ruining it for the good Jamaican citizens here," he said.

However, the mechanic, who is married to a Bermudian, said he did not believe there was a drug war brewing between locals and Bermudians. Instead, he said, the the problem was some young Jamaicans were coming to Bermuda for the wrong reasons.

"These younger guys coming here are not here for the right reasons," he said. "We (older) Jamaicans have paved the way for them to come here and try to make good of themselves, yet they are causing disturbances."

And, he said, if the Jamaican youth held steady jobs, they would not have time to sit around like some of them do.

"Whether local or not, Bermuda is not a place for relaxation unless you are a tourist. Bermuda is a place to work."

"They keep saying it's drug-related, but it's not," said one woman who has lived here since the 1960's. "How could it be?"

While she said she was "puzzled" by the recent violence, she said that, because of it, Jamaicans were being labelled unfairly.

"Some people are picking on them just for being Jamaican," she said. "Tension is definitely building up."

And the woman said she hoped something could be done to diffuse the situation before it got out of hand. She said she had even tried talking to some of the Jamaican youth herself.

"From what I've heard it's going to get worst. It just doesn't make any sense to me," she said. "I hope we can do something to stop it. Everybody will be affected if it is not.

We do not have to love everybody, but we don't have to fight."