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As a politician I try to understand what is going on in our community.

I spend a lot of time talking with people on the doorsteps of their homes, in their places of work and on the streets.

Only by putting myself in front of people, by listening to their hopes and dreams, their needs and concerns, and by letting them know I am there to work for them, can we build the connections that make it possible to work together.

This takes time, but only by connecting can we get the trust and understanding to move forward together for a better society.

This is my approach to politics. It is simple but takes hard work, perseverance and sacrifice.

A short time ago, I went out with a taxi driver in the middle of the night. My plan was to get a frontline understanding of the safety issues faced by drivers. It was also an opportunity to get an up-close view of Bermuda's growing drug culture.

My driver wanted me to see what he sees every night across the island.

We visited drug areas in the central parishes, and I was disturbed by the number of places in which the trade appeared alive and well.

Indeed, it seemed to be flourishing in the dark.

There was street-level organization. In these areas, you are watched. More than once, as we drove into them, cellphones came on in the shadows, alerting people ahead. Inside an invisible ring of security, the drug dealing is in the open.

My midnight tour deepened my existing concerns.

The prevalence of drug dealing areas in the central parishes indicated to me that they exist across the island in virtually every community. I was particularly concerned with the number of young people hanging out on the fringes of these areas. They are vulnerable, and very much in line to become the next generation caught up in drug use, drug dealing, even prostitution.

What I sensed, and what my driver spoke of, is the worst of Bermuda. The drug culture is a cancer near the heart of our communities. It is a mortal threat to our children, our families and our hopes for the future.

I am concerned that too many people do not understand how far and wide it has spread.

It is clear to me we have an immense challenge on our hands if we are to roll back the impact of drugs. We will have to mobilize all our resources as a society. The government can play a crucial role, but it will also come down to individual communities, families and the churches working together. It will require leadership and role models, mentors and activists. It will require an all-embracing vision of a society that truly offers a fair deal for everyone.

We have to get started. We have to get serious. It will be a long, tough battle. But if we don't take concerted action, drugs will continue to destroy lives and weaken our island home.

MP Michael Dunkley is Leader of the United Bermuda Party.[[In-content Ad]]

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