National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief yesterday insisted police are making progress in the fight against gun crime as he hit back at the Opposition’s claims they haven’t got a plan.“Targeted and sensible police deployment has yielded significant results and the people of Bermuda have noticed it and applauded it,” Mr Perinchief said in a statement.Earlier this week, Shadow Minister Michael Dunkley had said Government would not get to grips with the Island’s gang violence problems until it started showing discipline, commitment and leadership.Five people have been shot dead so far this year, with 16 killed in the past two years.But Government has recently pointed to success in putting perpetrators behind bars, most recently David Cox who was last Friday convicted of murdering Raymond (Yankee) Rawlins.“Mr Dunkley’s statement bears no reflection of the facts,” said Mr Perinchief. “Mr Dunkley deliberately ignores the success of the police and the criminal justice system in bringing offenders to justice.“Facts speak for themselves and the facts are that we are working every day to provide safer communities and to build on the hard work of the men and women of the Bermuda Police Service and many other agencies engaged in this fight against crime.”Sen Dunkley was speaking after Government announced it was looking at copying anti-gang initiatives in the United States, such as Brooklyn’s Save Our Streets programme which uses church leaders at street level.He said: “I remain deeply concerned because the Government still has no plan in place to deal with gang-related violence.”Mr Perinchief said: “In each and every statement on crime the Government has clearly set out initiatives that have been implemented and the public discussion indicates that unlike Senator Dunkley, the people understand what’s on the table and what’s at stake.”Last night Sen Dunkley responded to Mr Perinchief and said: “We have always given credit where credit is due. Recent statements show I do not shy away from acknowledging Police and criminal justice system successes.“Just this week I commended the Government for finally looking into Operation Ceasefire-like programmes ‘to help Bermuda get a grip on gang-related gun violence and, equally, the social dynamics that give rise to it.’“But I have to repeat the point I was making: Without a comprehensive plan that deals with the totality of the gang problem, Bermuda’s police will do nothing more than put their fingers in the dyke of a social problem that will not go away.“I suggest that the Police Commissioner himself would not disagree with this pressing need. So, if the Minister has a comprehensive plan then perhaps it would be good to share it with the people. The scatter of initiatives announced in recent weeks comes across as a political plan not a public safety plan. The Minister’s statement that ‘The people understand what’s on the table’ says to me there is no plan; some ideas yes, but no plan.”He added: “And yes Minister, the facts do speak for themselves: Under the PLP Government, gang and gun violence mushroomed into a major crisis. The Government has been slow to respond. In the midst of the onslaught, Government reduced the Police budget.“I recognise the Minister has only been on the job for a couple of months, and I will work with him because I am sure that he too wants to put Bermuda first. But to do that we have to be honest about where we stand on this issue and demonstrate that we understand the fears and concerns of Bermudians.“If Bermudians agree with the Minister that Bermuda is safe once again, then show it by taking bars off windows, walking neighbourhoods at night without looking over your shoulder and allowing your children to go to parties without concerns for their safety.”Useful websites: www.bps.bm, www.plp.bm, www.oba.bm