meetings between gang members after yet another poor show at last night's gathering.

Only about eight members of rival gangs on the Island showed up at the Police Recreational Club to discuss their differences and make peace with each other.

Another 12 or so members of the community turned out to voice their concern about warring factions, including dub poet Ras Mykkal.

He was this week threatened after speaking out against the gang culture in Bermuda and the people attending previous peace meetings.

Last night's meeting was still ongoing at 10 p.m., but a Police spokeswoman talked to The Royal Gazette about the issues discussed.

She said there had been a low turn-out at the meeting, which Mr. Lemay had blamed on the "unfortunate'' comments made by people this week on the process used to encourage peace.

She said: "Mr. Lemay described the derailment of the process as unfortunate.'' He said it was down to "recent comments aimed by individuals about the process, who had not been part of the process and did not understand the process''.

She added: "Very few of the formal rival groups attended.'' But she said despite the low turnout, people at the meeting were feeling optimistic about the way ahead.

And she said Mr. Mykkal had apologised for speaking out the way he did about the peace process and the people at the meetings.

A Court Street gang, known as the Frontline, boycotted Tuesday's planned meeting allegedly in anger after Mr. Mykkal had labelled those attending the talks as "criminals, wallsitters and drug dealers''.

That meeting was subsequently cancelled.

CRIME CRM