It's a sad sign of the times that prosecutors and Police are praising a young man for simply telling what he saw at the scene of a crime.

But that's the pass that Bermuda has reached, and this newspaper joins prosecutor Rob Welling and Chief Inspector Calvin Smith in praising Ronnie Furbert for giving evidence in the recently concluded RAA Club shooting trial.

Mr. Furbert's evidence was considered crucial in securing the conviction of Dwayne Signor for wounding Shawn Williams.

"When you stop to consider the evidence that Ronnie Furbert has given to you, you think of the courage that young man has demonstrated, and the sacrifices he's made to make Bermuda a better place," Crown counsel Rob Welling told the jury.

"Let's hope there are lots of potential Ronnie Furberts out there."

For Bermuda's sake, let's hope there are, and that they are given sufficient protection to do the right thing.

It's worth remembering that the RAA shooting occurred at a crowded reggae party where dozens of people were put in fear of their lives and where someone could easily have been killed. Indeed, just days earlier, a man had been gunned down at a Good Friday community event on Victor Scott school field – no one has been charged for that murder.

It is only when people like Ronnie Furbert step forward and give evidence that the Police will be able to make arrests and secure convictions.

And only then will those committing those crimes see that their actions have consequences.