May 25, 2011Dear Sir,I believe I am not naive when I state that Bermuda’s gang finances rely almost entirely on the proceeds of controlled substances ... ie cannabis, cocaine etc. Therefore the answer to our serious drug/gang problem would appear to be quite simple. One can’t sell a product to someone who won’t buy it and that is a very simple business fact that almost everyone knows. Our wonderful community is up in arms, quite rightly, about the current situation. My question to all members of the community is again simple. Are you prepared to stop buying illegal drugs? If you aren’t then you are assisting the gangs. How many relatives of the deceased still use controlled substances? Do they really care? How many very ordinary locals/expats use them? Do they care?There are politicians/attorneys/doctors CEOs and police officers using controlled substances. A very pointed statement from the Governor, the Premier and a few other prominents should be issued to state that about half the population is assisting the gangs. My next issue is the state of play here right now. If you don’t believe that the majority of our serving police officers and prison officers are scared, and I mean scared, then we are living in cloud cuckoo land. The majority of our officers are not armed. Can we expect them to patrol the streets and possibly confront them? Oh yeah ... they have tasers so they are OK! They need guns.The gang members are ‘stone-faced killers’. They thrive on intimidation. I know a few very courageous officers who are very apprehensive and courageous officers are few these days. I don’t know if anyone else is noticing that even street people are getting very pushy. I saw one on Friday approach three tourists in Hamilton. He was cracking his knuckles as he demanded money and cigarettes. That is serious intimidation. He took my advice to desist or his face would have been changed. The tourists were shaken and very happy that I assisted.TIRED OF WAITINGSmith