Violent gangsters have no one to blame but themselves and should face the consequences of their actions, Shadow Housing Minister Wayne Furbert said.

He also called on Bermuda?s men to live up to their own responsibilities in guiding young men.

Mr. Furbert said that experts should stop insisting that social and psychological factors are at the root of such unacceptable behaviour and the community must send the message out that Bermuda has had enough.

?This is beyond politics. We are too small a community to fight politics with this one and we should hold hands together,? he said.

?I don?t have the answer. But I believe we have the answer as a community. First of all we must stress that we will not put up with the violence that is occurring in Bermuda.

?The basic principle is zero tolerance. For too long we have been listening to those experts out there that are saying we should be treating those with violent behaviour very gently.

?We can?t be gentle with people with violent behaviour. There has to be an appropriate action for their actions.?

Mr. Furbert added that Government was on the right track with plans to introduce tougher laws with regard to increasing powers of arrest, having increased penalty zones for sport clubs and other measures.

He said in some cases social and psychological factors were responsible for anti-social and violent behaviour, but in the majority of cases people were acting out of choice.

?We have to recognise that there are people who were brought up under the same circumstances who are law abiding,? he said. ?The only difference between the two groups is that one chooses to behave appropriately and the other chooses to behave unacceptably.

?I believe it?s a matter of choice... we must tell our young people that their choice ? whether it?s a choice not to work, to behave inappropriately, not to go to school ? it?s not because of the system, it?s because they choose to do it.?

And society should decide what the consequences should be when people make the wrong choices.

Asked for specific suggestions he said Bermuda could institute a Gang Act which mandates stiffer punishments for people involved in gang warfare.

?Somebody who chops up an individual could be sentenced to prison without parole.

?Because if I?m going to chop up a person and get out in three or four years after living in an ocean view hotel, then why should I be frightened of the consequences of the action that I take?? he asked.

?We may have to reopen Casemates because the other one is getting filled up.

?They will live under harsher conditions in Casemates than Westgate. People have to realise that they have a choice and stop blaming the whole system.?

He added: ?We, as men of this country, must take a more appropriate step in trying to help out our males. Once the male figure breaks down in the community, the family has to break down and the nation has to break down.?

And he praised Bermuda?s mothers ?who have tried to hold up this community and this nation by themselves and they have done very well.

?Can you imagine if they had walked away like some of our male figures have walked away??