The Minister of National Security, Michael Weeks, gave a brief outline of his ministry’s budget to defend against claims of indifference towards antisocial behaviour.

Mr Weeks ended the House session on Wednesday with a summary of upcoming improvements to national security after the One Bermuda Alliance leader Cole Simons, in his reply to the Budget, accused the Government of not caring about the public.

Mr Weeks said: “This budget this year was $131 million and $5 million in capital – all, Mr Speaker, with the intention of keeping us safe.

He added: “I just want to let this country know, as much as I can, that this government cares about their social welfare. Please, Mr Simons, do not make our people feel unsafe.”

Mr Weeks said that $1 million had been set aside for an island-wide CCTV system, which would play “an integral role in identifying traffic violations and violent crimes”.

He said that the emergency vehicles for police, corrections, and the fire service would also get an overhaul, including four new fire trucks to replace those at the end of their run.

Mr Weeks said that 40 posts would be refunded this year and that he wanted to bring in more than 100 new recruits across the emergency services and prisons.

These recruits would include 30 expert investigators for the Bermuda Police Service to help close the backlog of open cases, which included 30 murders and 121 attempted murders from as far back as 2009 – an initiative announced last December.

Mr Week said: “This would not only offer new job opportunities for Bermudians, but make our community safer.”

Parish constables would also see a return to hopefully strengthen neighbourhood security and confidence in the police – also decision announced last December.

Mr Weeks said that the very presence of parish officers could help deter crime.

He added that educational programmes will be reinstituted in prisons to help rehabilitate those who had been incarcerated.

The Department of Corrections will also look to hire 30 new recruits. The coastguard and the Department of Customs would get more staff.

Mr Weeks said: “Money alone is not going to make us safe, and we cannot police our way out of this.

“The antisocial behaviour is a community issue and it’s got to be a community solution, so we must all do our part.”

He added: “We cannot politicise something that we are facing right now. I would ask that people volunteer in our community and give back.

“And for those who like to sit on the side and criticise – get off the wall, get out of the barbershop and wherever else people congregate, and get involved.”