Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan "put crmiinals on notice'' yesterday that gun offences will be dealt with harshly.

And he offered a cash incentive to the community for turning criminals in.

Speaking in the House of Assembly, Sir John announced sharply increased penalties under the Firearms Act 1973.

"The community is sick and tired of hearing all too frequent reports that some hapless resident or tourist has been mugged or robbed by someone using an offensive weapon,'' Sir John said.

"The Government intends to make the cost of using such weapons very high to those who snub their noses at the laws of this Country.'' The new measures, which still must be passed by Parliament, won qualified support from the Opposition.

If convicted on indictment, a first offence for possessing, importing, carrying, manufacturing, repairing, or supplying a gun or ammunition will bring a minimum prison sentence of 10 years, up from five. A first offence summary conviction will result in a prison term up to five years and/or a fine up to $10,000. Currently, a first summary conviction brings up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000.

Penalties for firing a firearm without a licence and other gun offences will be similarly doubled.

Penalties for using a firearm while committing or attempting to commit an indictable offence will remain unchanged at ten to 20 years in prison for a first offence and 20 years to life for a second.

Other amendments will address reports of guns in the hands of youth, the Premier said.

Conviction on indictment for supplying firearms to someone under 17 will bring a penalty of 12 to 17 years in prison, he said.

Meanwhile, the Premier announced large new rewards for information from the public leading to a conviction -- $5,000 for gun offences and up to $10,000 for a drug offence.

While some suggested the stiff sentences "fly in the face of the Tumim Report'' on Bermuda's justice system, "nothing could be further from the truth,'' Sir John said.

While Mr. Justice Tumim felt penalties for traffic and some other offences were too severe, he "did not intend that Bermuda should be turned into a free enterprise zone for criminals.'' If the gun problem is not tackled, "Bermuda as we know it and cherish it will not survive,'' he said.

Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade said his party supports the idea of offering rewards.

"Bermuda is a Country that is quite mercenary,'' Mr. Wade said. "If this is going to assist us to catch some of the criminals engaged in that kind of activity, we support it.'' But Mr. Wade said he and a party committee wanted to look more closely at the increased sentences proposed. It might make more sense to end the automatic one-third reduction in the prison sentence for such offences and leave the reduction at the discretion of prison authorities. That would effectively increase the sentence unless prisoners earned a reduction, he said.

The Opposition Leader said Sir John had not responded to his call for a Royal Commission on crime, but the Progressive Labour Party would put forward a House motion calling for one in any case.

The commission was proposed as a search for long-term solutions, not "a quick fix,'' he said.

Sir John read a letter he received from a 13-year-old Saltus Grammar student who had noticed major changes on the Island in the last year.

"Every day I now have to worry about doing something wrong that irritates someone,'' the student wrote to the Premier. "I used to have fears about being beat up, but now I have fears about getting stabbed, and, of course, shot.'' The student suggested Government check all ships and cargo planes entering Bermuda while taking steps to get rid of the guns already here.

Sir John called on the public and Opposition to come forward with any suggestions they had.

Guns In Prison, see Page 4