ERROR RG P 25.4.2000 Pembroke West MP Erwin Adderley would like to clarify the use of the phrase "drugs supermarkets'' used in a recent story about mounting drug abuse in the constituency. Mr. Adderley said he wanted to make it clear that the reference -- commonly used to describe a high rate of trafficking -- was not intended to apply to any existing, legitimate, businesses in the area. Mr. Adderley said: "It was to drugs activity which is being operated on a scale similar to a business activity.'' Drug-dealing in the Spanish Point area has spiralled out of control, the area's MPs claimed yesterday.

They called for tough Police action -- including a mini-undercover drug operation and a Police sub-station -- to put "drugs' supermarkets'' out of business for good and bring relief to residents living in fear.

Pembroke West MPs Gary Pitman and Erwin Adderley are to meet with Police Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lemay and hold a public meeting next month in a bid to kick-start a crackdown on drug sales.

Mr. Pitman said: "Residents in that area are terrified. The traffic going through there is incredible. People aren't getting any sleep because bikes are coming through there all night long.'' And he said local parks had become no-go areas for families scared of drug users and drug equipment, including used syringes.

Mr. Adderley said: "Residents feel like hostages in their own neighbourhood.

We've been on about this for a year-and-a-half and nothing concrete has taken place.'' Mr. Pitman said: "The people in Pembroke West are very concerned. The constituents have come to us to complain.'' The Admiralty Park area is a notorious drug-users' haunt, but the MPs said the problem had spread to at least five other locations in the Cox's Hill/ Admiralty Park area with hard drugs like crack cocaine on sale, as well as marijuana.

Mr. Adderley said: "This has been going on in one of these locations for at least three years.'' And Mr. Pitman added: "One drugs' supermarket, and they are supermarkets, in the Cox's Hill area is really bad.

"We have to do something about the drugs' situation in Pembroke West. Our constituents have put up with a lot. Admiralty House has been infamous for years, but it's a lot worse than that.'' Mr. Adderley said crime in the area, committed by drug-users desperate to feed their habit, had also increased.

He added: "There are two big problems. The activity takes place all night. It disturbs people's rest and they're concerned about safety.

"There are a lot of strange people in the neighbourhood and things have been going missing.'' Mr. Pitman said: "That's in spite of the fact that promises have been made by the Police. We're only hoping that there will be action and improvement. It's been long enough.'' Mr. Adderley said that Police efforts in the area were hampered by lookouts and a reluctance by local people to be seen to be assisting inquiries.

He added: "There is a climate of fear and there is concern on the part of the Police about the safety of people who cooperate with them.'' And he called for an undercover operation using hi-tech cameras -- along the lines of Operation Cleansweep a few years ago.

He said: "We need a mini-Cleansweep up there. Once Police have a task force up and running, they've got to do undercover hits and staking places out more.'' Mr. Adderley added: "One of our proposals is a Police sub-station and we've got a spot for it. If we had that, we could have constant patrolling.'' Mr. Pitman said he accepted Police manpower was limited but suggested a temporary Police presence for three or six months.

He added: "The Police could be in there for three months or so, move out and come back again. People wouldn't know if they were there or not.'' And he said: "We've got two beautiful parks out there and they're not being utilised. People are afraid to let their kids near these places.'' Mr. Pitman added: "In my opinion, the drugs problem in that area is out of control. It's disgraceful.'' And he said: "We don't just want the Police Commissioner to come and say `we're going to do something'. Residents want action now.'' But yesterday Police insisted that they combated drugs wherever they were to be found and said the special drugs-busting narcotics team had hit Admiralty Park on several occasions.

However no suspicious activity had been seen, added the Police spokesman.

He said: "We're concerned about these allegations in Admiralty Park, as well as elsewhere in Pembroke West.

"We're concerned about drug activity wherever people say it's taking place.

And certainly we're concerned about combating this problem.'' The spokesman added: "In the general Pembroke area, there have been several operations which are continuing.

"These operations have met with quite reasonable success with respect to seizures and arrests.'' `Residents are terrified': Pembroke MP Gary Pitman `Hostages in their own neighbourhood: Pembroke MP Erwin Adderley.