Right choice, but...

May 13, 2010

Dear Sir,

My husband and I have just come home after our first trip to Bermuda. We both felt we had made the right choice in visiting your islands. As citizens of the United States, many people at home asked us why we would want to go to Bermuda when there are so many Caribbean islands that are less expensive to visit. Our answer was that we were eager to learn about Bermuda's rich history and we felt that we could go anywhere on the islands with little fear for our safety. We enjoyed our encounters with the locals who were more than willing to talk about their family heritage that dated back centuries. The love that they showed for the place they had chosen to live was apparent. Bermudians encouraged us to visit all the tourist sites. Tourism we know is an enormous part of your economy so we picked the places we thought would be of interest to us. It was all such an enjoyable experience. Even our hotel was very accommodating and had the perfect beach to relax on.

One day we picked up a copy of The Royal Gazette to find out a bit more about what was happening in Bermuda. We were surprised to read about the gang violence the islands have had to endure. Although there was no indication that we were at risk during our trip, we became deeply concerned for the citizens of Bermuda. We fear that it may transform your islands into something that will be very difficult to pull yourselves out of. As visitors we recognised that Bermuda is an enchanting place with warm people who show their gratitude that you have come. We don't want to see that destroyed. The reason I am writing this letter is that one of your citizens heard my concerns and expressed his own fears about what was happening. He had just finished college. Some of his old friends were now part of the gangs. This young man encouraged me to write this letter.

I do not propose to be an expert on how to control gang violence. I only have read that Los Angeles and most recently Newark New Jersey have made great strides in decreasing the violence. Within my hometown, our special task force will address criminal activities but they never get published as gang-related occurrences. This is done because they know the gangs thrive on recognition which in turn makes the problem worse. I urge everyone in Bermuda who cares about the quality of life on your islands to become involved in combating this issue. Encourage your leaders to look at and apply strategies that have been proven successful in other places. I hope that your quality of life can continue for future generations and that people from around the world will want to come and enjoy the beautiful scenery, activities and most importantly get to meet the people who call Bermuda their home.

DESIREE FLEAGLE

United States