Bermuda has survived the first holiday weekend of the season without any further incidents of serious crime, and for that we should all be thankful.

But it does not mean that the horrific sequence of gun crime and murder is over, and no one should relax or let down their guard.

More assertive policing and greater community awareness may well have contributed to this quiet period, but it will be all too easy for further outbreaks of violence to occur.

But it does give people a little time to consider both the consequences of these last weeks and months and how Bermuda can come back from the brink.

First, the consequences. It is clear anecdotally that news of the gun crime has spread far and wide around the world and this will have an immediate effect on tourism. Indeed, this newspaper has received several letters from long term, repeat visitors who now say they are not returning. It is fair to say that there are other reasons why they are going elsewhere, but the recent reports of violence are the straw that broke the camel's back.

In the age of the Internet, news travels fast. What happens in Bermuda does not stay in Bermuda. And it does not bear thinking about what will happen if a tourist is the next person to be shot.

Even without that, this is the last thing the tourism industry needs when it is struggling to stay alive.

Bermuda sells itself on its location, its temperate weather, the friendliness of its people and its safety, and the last two go hand in hand.

If visitors do not feel safe and welcome, they will not come. The world's tourism market is too competitive for Bermuda to drop any of its competitive advantages.

Crime will also have an effect on international business. As in tourism, international companies have plenty of options, and the departure of a number of international companies in 2009 shows how transient this sector can be.

On that basis, Bermuda cannot afford to lose any of the advantages it has in this area either.

It can be said that none of this equals the loss to families of loved ones, or the pain that the community is feeling, and that is so. But the economic consequences of further weakness in tourism and international business will effect the livelihoods and well-being of every person in Bermuda, and will make it that much more difficult for Government and helping agencies to address and solve the problems of violent crime.

And solving those causes has to be the first priority of the community now. Agencies that help families and parents need support. Education must be fixed. Young people must be shown that there is an alternative to gangs, drugs and violence. And the Police must be given the tools to combat violence as and when it happens.

None of this will be cheap, and it is no accident that is coming to a head at a time when the economy is weakening. But a commitment has to be made, and sacrifices will have to be made elsewhere.

Bermuda must get its priorities straight.