The UBP yesterday called for a united, cooperative approach to combat the rising tide of crime.

In the first of what the UBP promised would be a series of press conferences tackling major issues, Opposition Leader Kim Swan said: "We believe a cooperative approach, a bipartisan approach is the best manner to move forward," he said. "We all feel that the problems confronting Bermuda go beyond any one party stand."

Deputy UBP Leader Trevor Moniz said all Government ministries should be working together on the crime issue, adding: "The Minister of Public Safety shouldn't be out there on his own. What we would like to see is a raft of measures from all of the Ministries involved."

Bermuda has been rocked recently by a spate of gun killings, with four men being shot dead in a month the most recent on Sunday when 34-year-old Perry Puckerin was gunned down in Hamilton Parish.

Shadow Minister of Public Safety Michael Dunkley called for a three-pronged approach to confront the issue of crime, made up of improved detection and prevention of crime, more effective prosecution and enhanced rehabilitation.

"All of the agencies involved need to be given all of the support they need," he said. "Public safety must always be the number one priority."

While he applauded Government for its efforts to work in tandem with both the Police Service and Government House, he said that Bermuda Customs and the Department of Corrections needed to be given similar support.

Regarding Customs, he said that the relationship between that department and the Police needed to be examined to ensure that it was working as effectively as possible.

"We need to have a close study to find out if this is the best arrangement for interdiction at our ports of entry," he said.

"At the airport, I think we do a pretty reasonable job, but where we seem to be letting our guard down is the goods coming into the Island."

He also suggested that due to the difficulty of getting witnesses to step forward, an improved network of CCTV cameras throughout the Island could help the Police solve crimes forensically.

Shadow Minister for Legislative Reform John Barritt said that while he hoped to work with the Government to tackle the problem, the UBP would and should continue to question the Government. "People say, 'How can you be calling for unity and still criticise the Government?' We're not criticising the Government as much as we are trying to advance our options.

"We want the opportunity to contribute. It does not mean there will be blind support. There is also the job of being on the Government's flank to keep them moving forward."