A founder of the Free Democratic Movement said that stronger anti-violence policies were needed to improve the party’s chances of victory in a General Election.

Desmond Crockwell, an anti-violence campaigner and community worker, said he would like to create policies that promoted better co-operation between agencies.

He added: “There needs to be more collaboration between the Ministry of National Security and the Department of Education in the promotion of the consequences of violence.

“There needs to be more community awareness and government-led forums that include our young people so that more ideas can be circulated.

“I would encourage the Bermuda Police Service and Royal Bermuda Regiment to collaborate more — I have always advocated for that.

“Child and family aervices should be involved and we need experts speaking publicly on the issues.”

Mr Crockwell said: “If it came to being involved in government, my voice will rise when it comes to these social issues.”

Mr Crockwell is director of Youth Vision Promotions, a promotion and events company that aimed to increase social harmony.

He is also the chief editor of anti-violence magazine Visionz.

Mr Crockwell said: “From my professional experience, anti-violence comes with other variables like poor education which contributes to lack of opportunities and frustration.

“There is also the breakdown of families and the clergy not getting involved as much as they should.”

Mr Crockwell won 114 votes in Hamilton East — 13.26 per cent of the vote.

The One Bermuda Alliance’s Elizabeth Deacon picked up 105 votes or 12.21 per cent of the ballot.

Derrick Burgess of the Progressive Labour Party won the seat with 641 votes and 74.53 per cent of the votes.

The FDM, formed only a month ago after David Burt, the Premier, called a snap election, won 1,384 votes — 5.37 per cent of the popular vote across the constituencies and failed to pick up any seats.

But Mr Crockwell said that a failure to win any seats in the election was “a blessing in disguise”.

He added: “It gives us time to hash things out — we didn’t have much time to canvass and were interrupted by two hurricanes.

“This allows us to get more input from the community. We may have to retract and review some policies.

“We also have to observe the political scene now to see how people react to the elected government’s policies.”

Mr Crockwell said that the new party had a chance of forming the next government.

He added: “The first step is to get ourselves up and running. Step two, we need to become a formidable opposition — not the official opposition, but the people’s voice.

“Then step three is to become the elected government that people can identify with. That could happen in time for the next election.”