The Minister of National Security delivered a heartfelt speech in Parliament today when he called on the community to “stand up, speak up and save lives”.

Addressing the country in light of recent violence, not just as a public servant, but as “a community member, a neighbour, a parent, a brother, an uncle and a friend”, Michael Weeks pleaded with residents.

He told MPs that when someone stays silent, they are “actively aiding and abetting this heinous and destructive behaviour”.

Mr Weeks said: “This is a call to action, a call for courage, a call to our collective conscience.

“We must decide together, right here and right now, who we are and for what we are going to stand.

“I am pleading to all of us, with these simple but powerful six words — stand up, speak up, save lives.

“Violent crime is hurting Bermuda. Physical violence, gun violence, stabbings, assaults.

“These are not abstract problems. These are not distant headlines.

“They are tragedies unfolding in our own backyards, in our own families, in our own communities, sometimes next door, and they are rendering us asunder.

“They are tearing at our moral fibre, our character and our identity as a people.”

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Ministerial Statement on Stand Up Speak Up.pdf

The minister acknowledged that there is a fear in the community of speaking out but shared the story of a mother who spoke up after losing her son.

Mr Weeks said: “Recently, a mother whose son was killed in a senseless act of violence came forward and said, ‘I don’t want revenge. I want justice. I want no other mother to go through what I’ve gone through’.

“Do you know what gave her strength? It was her community.

“People who stood up and spoke up, not with anger but with truth, and because of that, her son’s killer was brought to justice.

“It did not bring her son back but it brought some peace for her. It helped her to take a step towards healing. That is the power of standing up. That is the power of speaking up. That is the power of saving lives.”

Mr Weeks referred to the mass shooting that took place at Legends Bar on Somerset Road on May 1 that resulted in the deaths of Jasmin Smith, 32, and Shaquan Williams, 29.

He said: “I leave you with this, as I shared up at the vigil held at Legends just a few short days ago — if you know something, stand up. If you see something, speak up. If you care about Bermuda, help save lives.

“Do not wait for the next tragedy to hit closer to home. Do not wait for the headlines to carry the name of someone we love. Do not wait until it is too late.

“The silence of those who have information has allowed this problem to grow, but from this moment forward, our voices, united, determined and fearless, can bring about change.”

Mr Weeks added: “Each act of violence is a wound on our national soul.

“Each life lost is not just a number but a name. A son, a daughter, a brother, a cousin, a friend.

“Some of them were bright lights in their communities. Some were trying to turn their lives around.

“Some were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and yes, some may have been ‘caught up in the game’, but all of them had value. All of them deserved a future.”

During questions, Mr Weeks said the solution is not longer prison sentences for acts of violent crimes but a collective effort, including the reporting of criminal activity to the authorities.

Vance Campbell, the Shadow Minister of Economy and Labour, asked whether the Gang Violence Reduction Team was adequately resourced.

Mr Weeks responded: “The Gang Violence Reduction Team is doing a good job. There is always room for more resources but how much is enough?

“We as a community have to do what we have got to do.”