A preacher met the Premier on Sunday to discuss the spate of gangland shootings terrorising the Island.Scott Smith has prayed with many of the families afflicted by the outbreak of violence that’s claimed 14 lives since 2009.They include the relatives of footballer Randy Robinson who was killed on Thursday night in Devonshire.Mr Smith, 44, is an active member of the Seventh-day Adventist church, but is not an ordained minister.He currently runs his own painting company, but told Premier Paula Cox he wants to continue his outreach work on a full time basis, preferably with the backing of Government.“I told her what I am doing in the community,” he said. “I let her know I’m in a very good position to help because of the rapport that I have built with the community and the guys in the neighbourhoods.“There’s a lot that I can do. I wanted to talk to her about supporting me and backing me up, because if you are concerned about an Island that’s being shredded to pieces by violence, you ought to back me up.”He met Ms Cox on Saturday when she visited victim Mr Robinson’s house and they then arranged a further meeting at the Cabinet building on Sunday.“She said I would have to present to her a proposition which I’m in the process of pulling together,” he said. “I should hear from her within two weeks as to what they [Government] can do for me. I believe she sees my passion and believes in what I am doing.”Mr Smith said regardless of whether he gets backing from Government, he plans to expand his community work into a full-time job.He plans to deliver talks at schools and also take his work into the prisons, where he hopes to be considered for the position of chaplain. He’s also working with the family of shooting victim Colford Ferguson to host vigils in memory of all the gun victims.“I have people in exempt companies looking to back me up also,” he explained. “Right now the priority for Bermuda is the gangs. If people are living in fear then they are not living.”Asked about the meeting, Ms Cox said she did not wish to discuss it, explaining: “I had a private meeting with Mr Smith at his request.”