Police Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lemay said last night he is prepared to meet gang leaders to ease tensions following recent violence.

But the Commissioner warned that some gang members were still carrying weapons and urged them to make a show of good faith by turning away from violence.

Mr. Lemay said he held a constructive meeting on Sunday with former Pembroke resident Gary Robinson, who is offering to mediate, Human Rights Commission chairman Rev. Goodwin Smith, and another unnamed individual. He told ZBM news last night that a number of options had been discussed but there would be no "quick fix'' to the gang problem.

He said: "There are a number of options on the table as possibilities for finding a solution but there will be no quick fix.

"We have got to look carefully. There are issues to be addressed and there are still some people driving around the Island carrying knives and so on and intelligence reports indicate some individuals are still leaning towards violent behaviour.

"I am prepared to sit down with the heads of these groups to try to find a solution but they should begin by demonstrating good faith by stopping this level of aggression.'' A high profile Policing operation last week, which included road blocks, led to nearly 100 arrests and the seizure of baseball bats, drugs and Molotov cocktails.

A special plea court sat yesterday to hear the cases against the first of those picked up in the sweep.

The Family Learning Centre (FLC) also warned yesterday against quick fixes.

Commissioner willing to meet with gang leaders needed to get together to find long-term solutions to bring disaffected youngsters back into mainstream society.

She applauded last week's high profile Police sweeps, but added: "Crackdowns on gangs only provide short-term solutions for community safety. What is needed are long-term solutions addressing the root causes of why youth are being attracted towards membership of gangs.

"Gangs are a way of young people expressing their boredom, unease, and lack of acceptance and involvement in the mainstream community.

"Many young people feel alienated from society; they do not feel part of a broader community. For most, this problem stems from home life and being part of a dysfunctional family.

"Oftentimes, unless you provide constructive activities, young people will find themselves with idle time during the summer months which makes them prime targets for gang membership.

"It is these underlying problems we need to address. Failure to do so will impact ever more negatively on our society.'' She said children should be responsible for their actions but were products of their own environment who felt they had no choice to make.

She called for mandatory parenting classes for pregnant teens and those under 18 who had children.

"Bermuda is a small community and with just a little commitment we can turn things around -- if we have the genuine commitment to do so,'' she said.

The news met with surprise from the Island's two other major mortgage providers, the Bank of Bermuda and Capital G.

The Bank of Bermuda at Press time had failed to respond to the news but requested that The Royal Gazette hold the story until Wednesday. Asked if they were planning to match the 95 percent financing at that time, a bank spokesperson said: "I'll have to get back to you on that.'' Meanwhile a spokesperson at Capital G called the move "extraordinary'' but said it would not result in any policy changes there.

"We have very flexible lending practices here,'' said the spokesperson. "We weigh each case individually but we have given 100 percent and even 110 percent financing to people to buy a home.

"Our policy is if there is a way of doing it we'll find a way to do it,'' the spokesperson said.

"We weigh each case on its own merits and operate accordingly but we have not lost any business to the banks since they implemented their 80 percent financing.'' Capital G use a more lenient 65 percent debt to value ratio for borrowers.

"I suppose that is why the bank has had to go out and do this,'' said the spokesperson. "Obviously we have taken much of their business away. But in the end the consumer gains.''