April 13, 2012Dear Sir,The closest point to Bermuda is 648 miles (Cape Hatteras). We should be able to have much more control of our borders. The drugs and guns continue to arrive here regularly. Private aeroplanes are randomly searched, racing yachts (Newport/Bermuda and Marion) coming to Bermuda are not being searched and we have a new container X-ray scanning machine at the dock. Why are we so casual/soft about the prevention of drugs and guns entering Bermuda? To have an X-ray machine scanning a container at one end of the harbour and 172 boats in the Newport/Bermuda race coming in next month without being searched at the other end of the dock or in St George’s, is very counterproductive and senseless at best. Why then are we spending money on a container x-ray scanner?Is it because the drug trade is more economically sustainable then tourism with millions of illegal dollars in circulation throughout the Island to keep many families in a position where they do not require help from government? Is it because we are concerned that the business people or visitors coming via private plane or boat will complain about being searched and refuse to come here? Is government trying to have us believe that they are serious about crime and still continue to let illegal proceeds from drugs feed a large portion of our economy? We do know that if the proceeds of crime were removed from many households, that there will be many people knocking on the Social Assistance door. Is this one of the reasons why an illegal door is left open? If the money we use to process and house criminals ($62,000) was used to secure our borders, we could have a smaller inmate population and a better and safer Bermuda. I would like to add this in response to National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief’s press conference on the Proceeds of Crime.Again, Government is seen to be bypassing all areas of the importation of drugs into Bermuda by just looking to remove the proceeds and not the problem. The drugs have come in, been sold, money laundered to import more drugs and guns, cars, boats, homes, and everything else. Some people have been killed and some are caught and convicted. All this happens at the back end of the importation because the front end is not properly guarded. Legislation needs to be passed to have our ports properly secured. Why is Government continuously bypassing the importers of illegal drugs and guns and then make laws just to punish the receivers. What about the Customs side of National Security, which should be first. We all know we need to close the door and then catch the flies.Mr Perinchief said, for far to long the community have been turning a blind eye to illegal behaviour. He was a senior police officer and now he is the National Security Minister. He has to know that this intended plan is backwards. You have to close the down the illegal entries first. To purchase a new X-ray machine at the Hamilton docks and to allow sailing boats to bypass a search is not right. Government is not serious about interdiction. This legislation is only aimed at the dealer who will be replaced by another dealer and not the importer.How can you take away the proceeds of crime if the drugs are still coming in? There will always be new people to sell the drugs and use guns and the police don’t have any information on the new people. It will cost us a fortune to take these people to court to prove the items confiscated are illegal. This initiative is only about what is already on the Island. Mr Perinchief said, once the people know that the bling, the glitter and the gloss attained via gang behaviour are confiscated, then they will know that the big stick in coming. I ask, what is the big stick? Is it the stick that I said should be used first? The stick that intercepts the drugs and guns before they get here? I hope so. Mr Perinchief needs to read every word he has said in this conference over and over because this is truly the cart before the horse.Mr Perinchief said that we must take away the proceeds of crime. I say we must take away the importation and the proceeds will go away on their own. Somebody help me. Am I the only one who doesn’t think like Mr Perinchief. He said that the subject is likely to trigger some debate from a small segment on how to combat the culture of antisocial behaviour. He is probably right because we do not openly object to the way government does things.GERALD L BEANPaget