Progressive Minds

When it comes to drug policy, it seems like everyone has an opinion. I'd like to submit the following Royal Gazette article for discussion. What policies do you think Government should be pursuing when it comes to drugs?

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Government MP Ashfield DeVent has claimed guns are routinely imported with drugs as he urged society to get a grip on the problem amid escalating violence.

He told the House on Friday: "Generally I have been told that a shipment of drugs doesn't enter this country if not accompanied by a shipment of guns, they are hand in hand.

"When money is sent it comes with guns whether they want it or not."

And he said in his own seat of Pembroke South East gun shots were heard "somewhat often" but they weren't even reported.

Mr. DeVent blasted the United Bermuda Party for being stuck on the issue of mandatory random drug testing for MPs.

Mr. DeVent admitted he had smoked marijuana in the past but said he was now able to take a test at anytime.

But he said politicians were missing the point if they thought that young people would take notice of the example they set.

He said: "If they think it would stop young people doing it they are so off track. They don't give two hoots about what we say or do they don't even recognise us."

Mr. DeVent lamented Bermuda had seen its first teenager charged with murder recently and now there were seven people on murder charges.

Earlier United Bermuda Party MP John Barritt had kicked off the motion to adjourn general debate by urging Government to "put up or shut up" and consent to random drug testing of MPs after Public Safety Minister David Burch had publicly lamented that so many Bermudians were failing drug tests on recruitment drives for the fire and prison services.

"I call it hypocrisy," said Mr. Barritt. "You cannot expect others to do what you do not do yourself."

That brought a stinging response from the Government benches. Health Minister Nelson Bascome said he had spent years working in drug counselling and said the Opposition needed to get in the trenches and help.

And backbencher Walter Roban said Government had a host of programmes to reverse the problems of drug abuse including Mirrors and Hope for Life.

He said the Opposition MPs didn't represent areas with drug problems a claim which was ridiculed by UBP MP Mark Pettingill who said drugs were everywhere.

Mr. Pettingill lamented the fact that MPs from both sides spoke to each other calmly and cordially in the back rooms of Parliament but tore into each other on the floor of the House, even on issues which they should be able to unite on.

Former Policeman Wayne Perinchief said there was such a demand for drugs that even if importation was curbed people would grow or produce them in this country.

He said the public was enabling the problem by turning a blind eye to relatives who had addictions.

"When little Johnny doesn't want to wake up and go to school because he's tired, he's tired from what? Smoking pot.

"When your daughter is stealing money from her employer and you don't see her wearing expensive clothes she's got a boyfriend with a habit she has to support."

He lamented Government had cut back on funding for drugs awareness.

Social Rehabilitation Minister Dale Butler said Government was producing slightly fewer drug leaflets.

He said Government was close to finding another location for drug retreat Camp Spirit after a site had proved too expensive at $6 million after being originally quoted at $2 million.

And he said Government had opened a drug treatment facility and a transitional living facility recently.

Mr. Butler said people had laughed when 30 years ago a perceptive Sunday school teacher had said marijuana would destroy Bermuda but now the view was commonly held.

And he said he had been so worried about the effects of crystal meth he had set up training programmes so Bermuda was prepared should it spread here.

Shadow Works & Engineering Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin discussed the need to stamp out drugs in the community despite her estranged husband's ongoing alleged drug trafficking case.

"I know there may be other people who have called for my resignation given the fact that others close to me have made decisions that I would not have many under any circumstances.

"I don't cover for my children, I don't cover for my siblings, I don't cover for my parents and I certainly wouldn't cover for a spouse if there was something illegal going on."

Energy Minister Terry Lister spoke about the focus on education but said the focus need to also be on parenting.

"I'm not going to try and sell a picture of everything's good. There are some bad children but there are more bad parents. Poor parenting skills is a major issue in this country".

Mr. Lister also said if the Government could figure out a way to help improve parenting skills, Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation, Dale Butler, would be able to slash his budget as many of the programmes wouldn't be necessary.

Speaking on the drug debate, Mr. Lister said: "We talk about drugs but we don't talk about alcohol, a legal drug.

"We just act like it's OK to have a fellow eat up half his paycheck with alcohol."

Randy Horton spoke briefly about the drugs debate saying: "We need to decrease the demand for drugs in our community. People have to understand what it is doing to them. We need to ask parents to step up".

The minister also said parents need to take responsibility in making sure their children have legal jobs if they are living a lavish lifestyle and buying gifts for them.

"We need to ensure that we work towards decreasing the level of demand. This is a problem that every person in this country will want to see resolved", he added.

Opposition Leader Kim Swan said: "The difficulties we have in this country is young people have a criminal element. They are bold and aggressive who are role models to our young people, the wrong type of role models".

"We have national sports and (there are) young talented people who can't represent our country because they won't be able to take a drug test."

Michael Scott, speaking after Mr. Swan, said he thought the Government should intervene to stamp out drugs in the community but added ministers shouldn't be required to take drug tests.

Deputy Premier Paula Cox told an analogy about a pig and a chicken who lived in a barnyard. The pig asked the chicken what he wanted for breakfast and the chicken said bacon and eggs.

The pig then said: "For you, that's involvement. For me, that's total commitment".

Ms Cox added: "The level of total commitment in this honourable house in addressing substance abuse in the community".