Governor Sir John Vereker has urged the public not to panic ? despite yesterday's horrific gun slaying.

He said Police were on the right track in handling violent crime while he voiced sympathy for its victims. "This is an appalling crime with a tragic outcome for all concerned, and most of all for the family of the young man who has died.

"I have of course been in close touch with the Commissioner, who reported it to me early this morning and with whom I have discussed it several times since then, and with the Minister for Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety. They share my determination to bring those responsible to justice. They also share my determination to ensure that Bermuda maintains its reputation as a law abiding place. The criminal justice system works well in Bermuda. But we cannot legislate for human behaviour and the forces of law and order can deal with only the symptoms, not the underlying causes, of crime.

"The strategy we are following for dealing with crime on our streets ? more overseas Police officers, more proactive Policing in high crime areas, mandatory imprisonment for the use of bladed weapons, a highly experienced new Assistant Commissioner from the UK, the use of outside expertise on gangs ? is the right strategy.

"But it has to be supported by the messages given to our young people by the whole community."

The Governor said statistics from the last quarter revealed there were 71 crimes of violence ? the exact average of the same period for the last seven years.

While not downplaying the effect each crime had on its victim and the Island's reputation, he said people needed to put it into context.

Sir John said he was appalled by recent incidences of gun crime.

"What I don't know, and I am not sure if anyone knows, is if there are more firearms on the Island than there used to be.

"Every time a weapon is used here it creates headlines and it is right that it should."

Asked if new methods were being used to target gun crime he said there were strategies for using intelligence-led Policing to understand who is bringing in the weapons and why.

"And to use intelligence-led Policing to try and understand what's going on in the drug trade and why because these things are all linked. But I am not going to try to persuade you those strategies will stop every weapon ever being used. But every time there is a weapon used there will be an intensive Police operation to try and catch the people concerned."

He said Police have an effective strategy for deploying more officers on the streets to address public concerns. "We have special measures taken as regards large numbers of tourists, we have special measures taken for big assemblies of people, we have CCTV cameras up and running."

He said public disorder had died down since the creation of the Police Support Unit. "This is by and large a peaceful place.

"It is deplorable that there is any crime but crime here is not out of control and law enforcement and criminal justice systems are working."

Asked about neighbourhoods living with the near constant presence of drug dealers, seldom chased away by Police, Mr. Vereker said the causes of crime went beyond law enforcement and needed a sustained effort from education and social services.

"Dealing with street level drug trading doesn't really tackle the underlying problem. It's the guys making a lot of money importing it. We have had a pretty intensive effort on that.

"We have had some very big drug seizures in the last few weeks."

But he said big seizures were a double-edged sword, although they indicated successful intelligence, they also revealed the strength of the demand. "Prohibition on its own ? whether it is alcohol, prostitution or books, newspapers or drugs ? has a lousy record. It only works with an effective effort on the demand side."