The peace of a tightly-knit community was shattered when St. David's Islanders learned of an horrific double murder in their midst.

Maxwell (Buckshot) Brangman and Frederick Livingstone Gilbert were described as well-known and passive, odd-job men who lived in a hut behind Black Horse Tavern.

Mr. Brangman's charred remains were discovered by firefighters who battled a blaze at the hut. Mr. Gilbert's body was found the next day floating in Great Bay.

It was then revealed that both had died of multiple stab wounds.

Mr. Brangman's sister Lana Flood said: "The natives are getting restless. We have never had anything like this in St. David's. This is really bad for us as a community. There were days we never had the lock on our back doors in St. David's. Never ever. Not no more you can't do it."

Two men were later charged – 18-year-old Darronte Lavar Dill of Fentons Drive, Pembroke and Roger Lightbourne, 40, of St. David's.

Peace Rally

At the beginning of the month hundreds came together for a peace rally at Bernard Park following a spate of violence including that which claimed the life of 18-year-old Kellon Hill a few weeks earlier.

Marsha Jones, mother of Shaundae Jones who was shot to death in Dockyard five years ago, said: "We have to come together as a community before it gets out of hand. Now we have babies killing babies.

"I am here to fight for our children, that they will be safe. Nobody likes that phone call. You are never going to know what's going to happen to you.

"I am not a speaker, I am just a broken mother who has started reaching out to others. I am going to save somebody from ending up where my son is."

35-hour work week on the cards

Government was seriously considering a union proposal to reduce the working week in Bermuda to 35 hours, it was revealed at the start of September.

The idea to shave two-and-a-half hours off the current working week was put forward to Cabinet by Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) president Chris Furbert.

The thinking was that it could have an impact on the growing problem of youth violence because it would give parents more time to spend with their children.

Acting Premier Randy Horton told the BIU banquet at the Fairmont Southampton that Mr. Furbert's proposal was well received by the PLP Government who said it was important parents spent more time with their children.

However Family Centre head Martha Dismont warned that while family time was important, so was the need to instill a work ethic in young people.

And Bermuda Employers' Council president Graham Redford said it would have a huge detrimental effect on the economy, where the average work week was 39 hours.