Plans for Bermuda’s own CeaseFire programme need to be acted on and not just talked about, according to Shadow National Security Minister Michael Dunkley.Senator Dunkley has welcomed Government’s new approach to combat gang violence, but says the Island can’t afford to waste any more time, as there has already been 16 gun murders.The One Bermuda Alliance politician has long advocated the CeaseFire approach, which has made a dramatic impact on violence in the world’s most troubled cities.Sen Dunkley has been pushing for such a programme for more than two years saying “it was always an idea worth exploring for Bermuda’s benefit”.The Royal Gazette reported yesterday that National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief was “inspired and encouraged” to act by former gang member Ricardo (Cobe) Williams, who used his street knowledge to help break up gangs in Chicago.Mr Perinchief met Mr Williams who visited Bermuda to promote ‘The Interrupters’ as part of the weekend’s Bermuda Docs film festival.Sen Dunkley said: “Of course I am very pleased we have finally got to this point, but my main concern is that we can’t afford to lose any more time.“Two years ago when this idea was first put on the table we had an epidemic, we needed to take quick action and get something done. We cannot allow any more time to pass us by as the epidemic is continuing. It’s very important that we get on with this”.Sen Dunkley said he hoped the CeaseFire plans hadn’t just being suggested because a general election was round the corner or to try to quell public fears. He said he’d spent as lot of time researching CeaseFire schemes and discussing their potential with Mr Perinchief and former Public Safety Minister David Burch.In 2009 he even visited the Harvard School of Leadership in Boston to talk to public order experts who had implemented a range of CeaseFire schemes across the States.Sen Dunkley said although each scheme took a slightly different approach, they all shared the same end goal. He said every CeaseFire scheme he had studied had the “plain and simply aim” of “getting into the community and stopping the shooting”.Sen Dunkley said he appreciated Mr Perinchief’s plans and praised him for “going where none of his predecessors had wanted to”. He said: “I am very pleased that we have got to this point. I want to give Perinchief credit as there are few Ministers who are always so open to listen”.The CeaseFire programme treats violence like the spread of an infectious disease and uses reformed gang members to return to the streets to stop violent situations before they happen.But Sen Dunkley wants to see a Bermuda-specific model, which is “tweaked” to the needs of the Island’s gang problems. He supports the first step of bringing over the founders of CeaseFire from Chicago to access Bermuda’s situation and “get a lay of the land”. Sen Dunkley said: “It’s taken us a long time to get here and now we need to know how this programme can be a fit for Bermuda. Every situation is different, so things will need some tweaking to make sure it works in Bermuda”.Sen Dunkley said Bermuda already had the helping agencies working in the community and the police knew who the hard-core criminals were, adding: “We just need an umbrella group to pull things together to make it all work”.Sen Dunkley said he sat next to Mr Perinchief at the screening of ‘The Interrupters’ and said he felt “a sense of pride and respect” as he heard Mr Williams talking about how he put his life on the line to help his community.He said it was “gratifying” to see a young man who had learned from “being on the wrong side of the track”.News of the Island’s own CeaseFire scheme was also welcomed by United Bermuda Party leader Kim Swan, who said it was “a good sign when a government embraces and is prepared to act on an Opposition solution”.He said one of his last duties, as Opposition leader was to meet with Mr Perinchief to talk about public safety and the need to work together in a bipartisan manner. At this meeting, Mr Swan said they discussed how the private sector was willing to support a CeaseFire programme. Mr Swan said: “It has been more than a year since we first began recommending that Government implement Operation Ceasefire. We are appreciative that finally a Solution that we have offered is finding its way to become policy and ultimately a productive initiative.“We continue to feel that reaching out to the private sector, getting community buy-in by engaging community stakeholders will form the type of coalition needed to make this initiative successful. All in all we are pleased that consistent prodding of an Opposition initiative has won favour with the Government Minister responsible for public safety”.‘The Interrupters’ will be screened again on Saturday, November 5 at 6pm at the Tradewinds Auditorium of the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute. Tickets are available at the Oceans Gift Shop at the BUEI or by calling 297-7314.