Despite our best efforts and those of others, a wave of violent crime has rocked Bermuda in recently years. Since the beginning of the 2009, firearm offenses have tripled and have resulted in the murders of 21 men. What we are confronting is a "perfect storm" of social, psychological, and economic issues that must be examined in order to effectively address our crime problem. Many Bermudians are trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and desperation. While this country is among the worlds wealthiest in per-capita terms, the distribution of wealth draws a stark divide between the wealthy and poor. More than 50% of Black female headed households with children lived at or below the poverty line when the 2000 Census was taken. Those numbers have increased substantially over 10 years.

 

Unless we tackle the primarily economic conditions that face those trapped in the bottom economic quartile, our spiraling social situation will only get worse. Much of the CPC’s advocacy work is centered on raising public awareness regarding these issues. Our hope is for Bermuda to be a leader in creative and effective social and economic policies that empower and assist those who are the most vulnerable within the community. With our small size and relative wealth, Bermuda could and should set the bar for innovative policy and social change.

 

To this end, the CPC continues to support families stuck in the vicious cycle of poverty and is dedicated to meeting the needs of children and empowering their struggling parents.  Over the past 18 months, we have seen a tripling of clients seeking assistance, ranging from parents who have been unemployed or underemployed for many months to those who are working full time but are still unable to cover their costs due to the high cost of living relative to their low wages. With recognition that the recession is not yet over in Bermuda, we expect to see much more of our clients as well as a continued increase in new clients, making the years ahead perhaps the toughest yet.