Dear Sir,

December 1998 saw the changing of the guard, as the Progressive Labour Party swept into power and the United Bermuda Party was ousted.

The early years of the 21st century ushered in the genesis of public pain and grief — the age of indiscriminate waves of gun violence began with gang wars that shocked the island to its core. That was just the tip of the “gunberg” that has continued to drift to this day.

The unceasing prayers, grief and tears of bereaved parents, siblings and children have changed nothing. Public appeals for calm have fallen on deaf ears. “Enough is enough” has become no more than a cliché.

The collective voices of those wielding political power, the police, the populace, the violence tsars have all gone unheeded. The cycle of gun violence has become as epidemic as pack-racing was back in days of yore.

Politicians have not been short on words. However, they have failed in taking serious action to bring gun violence to heel. They have the legislative power to take the bull by the horns and ground the beast. The time for the start of serious action has long passed. Now we must act before there is a mass shooting of a family or office workers.

The photograph on the front page of The Royal Gazette issue of August 14, 2025 is of two men on a motorbike wearing full-face, dark visors. Unless one has bionic vision, facial identity is impossible. There have been countless gun murders and attempted murders committed by bike riders similarly masked. Yet, there has been utter failure of the legislature to impose a ban on the importation, ownership or use of dark visors.

Gun violence is too rampant to be allowed to drift Quo Fata Ferunt — whither the fates carry us. Unabashed, I suggest that serious consideration be given, as steps in eradicating the problem created by the use of helmets with dark visors:

1, The Government should procure transparent/clear visors to be exchanged free of cost

2, A ban be imposed by the legislature, effective within three months of the Act coming into force, on the importation, possession or use of dark visors

3, Businesses be compensated for all dark visors in stock, unless exchanged for transparent/clear visors

4, Any violation of the Act be by way of a mandatory term of imprisonment

EDWARD I. KING

Former magistrate

St George’s