Prisons Commissioner Edward Lamb told MPs today that a lack of love was to blame for turning Bermudian boys into angry young gang members.

He said: “We have neglected to teach them respect, we have neglected to show them love, we have neglected to teach them discipline, we have neglected to teach them godliness, we have neglected to teach them moral values.”

The man in charge of Westgate Correctional Facility told the joint parliamentary select committee on violent crime and gun violence that he often heard prisoners complain: “I don’t feel loved.”

He said the Island was “reaping what we have sown” by neglecting its youth and not teaching youngsters about their identity.

Society should not have the temerity to call gang members thugs, Mr Lamb argued, since it had failed the young men.

The bipartisan committee also heard from Collector of Customs Winniefred Fostine-DeSilva this morning, along with Assistant Collector William Pearman.

Ms Fostine-DeSilva revealed that HM Customs was struggling to recruit qualified staff, even after having lowered its entry requirements.

She said a recent recruitment drive prompted 236 applications for 12 positions, but that it was impossible to fill even eight of the posts.

“Applicants fail the entrance exam,” she said. “Clearly, the education system has failed us. They fail drug tests and psychometric tests.”

Today’s session at the Senate chamber also heard presentations from photographer and recording artist Ras Mykal and former National Liberal Party chairman Graeme Outerbridge.

Read much more about these issues in tomorrow’s Royal Gazette