Mr Speaker, honourable members come to this Honourable House this week with a heavy heart. This week, tragic events have shaken our island, leaving many of us with a deep feeling of sorrow and disbelief.
The senseless killing of Ms Diante Trimm, a mother of five, the heart-wrenching news of the passing of Ramon Trimm, Nicole Parfitt and their children Drae-E and Na-Vii over the weekend, and the shooting deaths of two young men in the early hours of Wednesday morning have cast a shadow of grief over our island that weighs heavily on our minds and our hearts.
Mr Speaker, these recent tragedies have struck the very core of so many families and friends, and their pain has reverberated throughout our entire island.
Mr Speaker, we are all hurting with them. Bermuda is a small island with a closely connected community where we are all intrinsically linked. When one family or sector of the community is hurting, we all feel it.
Mr Speaker, as a father, I can only begin to imagine the pain that the mothers and fathers feel as they mourn the losses of their sons, young men with so much potential, and daughters who were taken far too soon.
And I am deeply saddened at the thought of those children who have been left to navigate life without the love and guidance of their mother and the uncles, aunts and grandparents who experience the pain of losing children and grandchildren who they have loved and nurtured.
Mr Speaker, in these dark times, all Bermudians must continue to work hand-in-hand toward a more hopeful future for our island. And we must not allow Bermuda to be defined by these tragedies but by how we, as Bermudians and as one community, respond to them and one another.
Mr Speaker, our first priority must be to support those directly impacted by these devastating events. The losses that some families in our community have had to endure are unimaginable, and it is in these moments that we must provide them with compassion, empathy and support that will help them in their time of grief and demonstrate to them that they are not alone.
Mr Speaker, I also want to reassure every Bermudian that their elected Government is committed to working with Government House—which is responsible for the Bermuda Police Service—to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents.
We understand the anxiety and fear that these events have caused. Outside of policing, this Government remains committed to investing in resources and programmes to address the root causes of the issues that our communities face. We know that the people of Bermuda do not want words or “thoughts and prayers” alone but want action that will lead to progress.
Mr Speaker, as the Minister of Finance, I am committed to ensuring that additional resources are allocated to support any further initiatives that will assist in breaking the cycle of violence plaguing our island. When the police asked for more resources, we provided them. When there was a call for more investment in mental health, we provided it. When there was a call for more support for community activities for young people and support for positive activities, we provided it.
But, Mr Speaker, the recent tragedies have shown that even more needs to be invested in tackling the root causes of violence, and this Government will not ignore this reality and will continue to do its part. But Mr Speaker, the government cannot do this alone; we need strength and unity from all of Bermuda working together. This is not the time to point fingers or play politics, but for those of us who serve the public to be resolute in imploring Bermudians to stop turning a blind eye to the antisocial behaviour within our communities.
Mr Speaker, I must also plead with the parents of Bermuda and remind them that they are not alone. We know when there are signs that our children may not be on the right path, but sometimes, we want to deny that it is our child. Parents, please know that help is available - please let the helping agencies assist with the intervention efforts that have diverted many of our young people from a negative path.
I thank the local faith leaders, community leaders, charity leaders, sports club leaders and others who have already been vocal in their prayers for our island, visible in support of the families, and in their calls for us to show compassion and solidarity. They have done so while encouraging us to use the hurt we collectively feel as a reminder that we must redouble our efforts for positive change.
Mr Speaker, there has been an outpouring of prayers, kind words, and calls for our communities to come together, whether on the Cabinet lawn, in places of worship, or online. The people of Bermuda are calling for unity, and I encourage us all not to lose that energy or mentality that we must work together to overcome this.
And Mr Speaker, the truth is that all families and residents are impacted by violence on our island. Though the results of the violence mainly impact Bermuda’s black community, there is an imperative for persons from all sectors to ensure that they are playing their part to support positive outcomes for our young people.
Mr Speaker, the culture of silence that prevails in some parts of Bermuda and the view that it is another community’s problem are not what this island needs. It will not help the Bermuda Police Service solve cases, which may help to bring some form of closure to the families of those taken too soon. The police have a difficult job to do, but it is made easier when they have support and cooperation from the public.
Mr Speaker, it is only through community participation and collaboration that we can make progress, save more young people and bring us to a place where we want our island home to be. We must work together to prevent more families from having to endure this pain, to find the strength to heal, to implement policies that honour those we have lost, and to build a safer Bermuda and a brighter future.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.