in any doubt that there are too many guns in Bermuda.

There should also be no question that they are being used for drug-related activities.

Any myths that we harboured that Bermuda was somehow different from the rest of the world will have been shattered by this shooting. And anyone who pretended that the Island's firearms situation was being contained must now face the depressing reality that it is a situation which is dangerously out of control.

We have to recognise that Bermuda is no safer than anywhere else.

Unless the whole community is prepared to come together, face the fact that Bermuda is an increasingly dangerous place and work together to do something about it, this terrible cycle of violence will only get worse.

We should all recognise that the main reason for the increase in the number of guns is the drugs trade and that we will probably only see a reduction in the number of firearms when drug abuse is reduced.

Everyone should move to support the efforts being made to stop drug abuse and the huge profits that dealers reap from their deadly trade.

The Government and the community have to throw their full weight behind the efforts of the National Drugs Commission to put a stop to this.

However, there are other measures which can and should be taken now to stop the use of guns.

Government should be congratulated on its quick move to offer an amnesty on firearms and ammunition but should consider an amnesty on replicas,. which are also common.

The Premier has also promised a "legislative initiative'' which would strengthen penalties for the use and possession of firearms.

This initiative should ensure that possession of any kind of firearm will result in a prison term. And those who smuggle guns onto the Island -- whether by air or sea -- must be made aware that this too will result in a lengthy prison term. It has to be made clear that Bermuda will not tolerate any firearms.

Further, the time has come to install metal detectors at the ramps of cruise and container ships in order to stem the flow of weapons onto the Island.

While this may be distasteful to cruise ship operators and tourism officials, it seems to be one of the few ways of stopping crew members and passengers from bringing guns to the Island.

The alternative -- more shootings -- will do far more harm to the Island's tourism industry.

We have always been proud that Bermuda is among the safest places in the world to live. Now we have to work together to keep it that way.