This opinion was crafted initially as a letter to the Governor, Rena Lalgie, and David Burt, Premier of Bermuda

Bermuda is bleeding. Families are grieving as lives are lost to violence in our streets, and the institutions tasked with delivering justice are crippled by corruption, inefficiency and mistrust. More than 200 DNA-related cases are under review, police misconduct is rampant and unethical practices have infiltrated all segments of our society. Even the judiciary is not immune, as evidenced by the suspension of a puisne judge of the Supreme Court, further eroding public confidence in our institutions.

This crisis begins at the top. Failures in leadership have emboldened those who profit from chaos, while leaving communities to suffer the consequences of violence and despair. When a Bermuda Police Service superintendent is dismissed for misconduct and a former commanding officer of the Royal Bermuda Regiment faced criminal charges, it is clear that our institutions are not just failing — they are enabling the crisis. Leadership must act now to rebuild trust and restore public faith in Bermuda’s justice system.

The same agencies and individuals who allowed these failings to occur cannot be trusted to investigate themselves. To move forward, Bermuda requires immediate, decisive action. We urge you to implement the following measures:

1, Establish independent oversight

Appoint an impartial panel to investigate the 200+ DNA-related cases, police misconduct and justice system failures — free from political or institutional influence

2, Hold leaders accountable

Set clear performance standards for leadership across law enforcement, the judiciary and Public Service. Implement decisive consequences for failure, including terminations and legal action where warranted

3, Strengthen oversight agencies

Provide the Auditor-General, Ombudsman and Public Accounts Committee with the resources and independence needed to effectively hold institutions accountable.

Our youth are the most vulnerable victims of these failures in leadership. Injustice and unethical practices rob them of their future, fuelling cycles of violence and hopelessness. These are not abstract failures — they destroy lives, fracture families and destabilise communities.

Bermuda has seen countless strategies and reports that yield little progress. While plans are drafted and old reports gather dust, people are dying. The justice system must serve the people, not shield those who exploit it.

Governor Lalgie, the constitutional authority vested in your office, obligates you to intervene when the fundamental rights of Bermudians are at risk.

Premier Burt, it is your duty to ensure leadership delivers more than promises — it must take decisive action to rebuild trust and restore integrity.

As the Black Beret Cadre once reminded us: “Justice is not granted by systems of power; it is demanded by the people.”

When leadership fails to act, it becomes complicit in the harm caused. Inaction is no less damaging than the injustices it enables. Bermudians will no longer accept empty rhetoric in place of accountability.

This is not just a matter of addressing violence — it is about restoring integrity to our institutions and ensuring justice for the people you serve. The future of our youth depends on leadership with the courage to confront these issues head-on.

The question is no longer whether this will be addressed, but who will have the courage to lead the charge.

On behalf of the people.

• Omar Dill is the chairman of the Free Democratic Movement