Acting Premier Paula Cox praised the increased community involvement in the wake of yesterday's shooting.

The shooting saw a 19-year-old Paget man in King Edward Memorial Hospital after he was shot in the leg on Tribe Road No. 5 yesterday afternoon.

As news spread across the Island of the latest shooting Police were conducting stop and search measures in the west end to try and find people who were involved in the incident. It was the 14th confirmed gun incident in the Island this year.

>Minister Cox said:"Change is happening. I am informed that there has been a marked improvement in this incident with community assistance.

"I believe that the incident last week at the Annual Cup Match Classic has so enraged and infuriated people that one discerns that there seems to be a rebalancing as the community and the authorities on crime issues are speaking with one voice and individuals seem prepared to adopt a harder line position in taking back their communities and in assisting the authorities, both the Bermuda Police Service and Government agencies in doing the necessary.

"We have a ways to go despite all the hard work that is being done.

"However we have an opportunity and the Police and Government are working together to leverage the community outrage with the effective work that is being done.

"We all state that 'enough is enough' but actions always speak louder than words and the Police actions have been focused and I am pleased to hear that the community is increasing its participation and involvement in speaking out.

"Long may this continue."

There have been 38 reported firearms incidents already this year, almost double the number of incidents reported in the whole of last year.

Of the 38 reported incidents, 14 have been confirmed so far this year, with the Police recovering four guns. Last year, a total of 19 firearm incidents were reported, while 12 incidents were recorded in 2007, less than one-third of this year's figures so far.

Minister Cox said as well as increased community involvement there needed to be a plan, something the Government is working on.

"The approach we advocate is a coherent joined-up approach as opposed to a series of ad hoc knee-jerk responses,"she said. "This directed approach has been articulated by relevant Ministers given their crosscutting roles and responsibilities."

She said the Ministry of Public Safety has responsibility for the Police, who have publicly said they are focusing on staving off crime and disrupting the lives of criminals.

The Ministry of Justice also has a key role to play as it looks at innovative models elsewhere and decides whether they will work in Bermuda's fight against gun activity

"So, there is a coordinated effort in tandem with consultation intra- Ministries and equally importantly working in a partnership for peace with the Bermuda Police Service so that we can be consistent in approach," she said. "However what cannot be overlooked are other aspects and other cross-Ministry initiatives. The Ministry of Social Rehabilitation has a key function given their remit as do the Customs Collectorate given the importance of border controls and our Memorandum of Understanding with the BPS."

Government has already announced that the Island can expect new legislation to be passed that will tackle the issue including a proposed piece of legislation that would make being a member of a gang illegal.