Former Premier Sir John Swan said yesterday he is willing to take some of the blame for violence among young black men in Bermuda.

Speaking to The Royal Gazette in response to a public meeting at the weekend when his name was mentioned, Sir John said the community should have made more noise about the issue of young black men several years ago.

At the meeting, several speakers criticised Sir John for labelling young black men as a problem element in society and doing little to help them in the long run. But Sir John said, while he could have been more forceful at the time, rather than being reactionary now the Island should work together to provide solutions.

“I'm prepared to accept the blame because they're all our children,” he said. “...Do I condone what took place? No, I don't condone it and (I) discourage it. Do I understand it? Yes.

“I understand their frustration particularly in a society that is growing in various ways where some people find themselves doing quite well, and others are not doing so well. It's up to people like myself, now, to make Bermuda more opportunistic for other people.”

Sir John said he regrets not pushing the issue but added business leaders and politicians must look at ways to provide opportunities for everyone.

Instead of being merely reactionary, he said there are steps residents can take to halt to the violence.

He said this means creating equity and encouraging opportunities for young men across the board.

Several years ago he suggested a multi-purpose, at-risk facility for young men between the ages of eight and 14 be established to support young men with character and educational building exercises. But, he said, there was no response from the wider community to his call.

“No one was pursuing anything to say ‘I'm paying attention to the issues that affect you'. The young black man is parked, not just in my generation but in previous generations,” he said.

Sir John said he would support a commission of inquiry into the subject as long as it identifies the problem, and looks for genuine initiatives to take the young black men from a non-functioning environment to one that promises a future.

“As a society we have to realise that law and order is not the answer. You have to create opportunities, a sense of fairness and equity from the highest to the lowest level.”

The Bank of Bermuda was also criticised at the meeting by a speaker who said the bank's mortgage system eroded the opportunity of the black working class.

Yesterday, bank spokesperson Karen Madeiros said: “Any suggestion that the Bank of Bermuda has a mortgage approval system that intentionally puts one segment of our population at a disadvantage is wrong.

“The past - whatever it was - is the past. We are focusing on today and the future. And today we apply the same applications and approval processes to all mortgage applications. No exceptions.