Finding ways to stop drug users from becoming hardened criminals and repeat offenders is one of the pressing issues at the top of the agenda for the newly formed National Steering Committee for Drugs.

The Minister for National Drug Control Wayne Perinchief has highlighted it as one of the key starting points for his Ministry as it seeks to overhaul rehabilitation programmes that are currently failing within the prison system.

As the work of the Ministry was outlined yesterday, Mr. Perinchief said he and his team are looking at those repeat offenders who ?spend their whole lifetime? committing crimes often to feed a drug habit. He said the current prison programmes had failings ?especially on rehabilitation?.

He added: ?We appreciate the programmes within the prisons have been less than effective and that is something we are addressing in the continuum of drug education and abatement ? from education right through to treatment, rehab and bringing a person back into the community.?

Asked if there would be a revamp of prison rehabilitation programmes, he replied: ?No doubt, after the review, I would say very in-depth reform. We are looking at the whole issue with a new perspective.

?All bets are off, any strategies we are conducting now will be open to review and we will come up with a continuum of strategies of how we deal with drugs in this country. So it?s going to be a fresh brush approach.?

The Minister spoke at a press conference alongside Premier Alex Scott who gave details of the process being made to tackle the problem of drug use in Bermuda and its link to crime.

Mr. Scott said the Government gave its full support to the efforts of the Bermudians Against Narcotics group who are holding their second community based rally in St. George?s on Saturday.

?We give our unqualified support to this and any other organisation that evaluates the problems in our community and decides that their involvement is crucial to rectifying the problem and reclaiming stability in our society,? he said. The Government recognised the toll the drugs culture was having on the Island?s youth and the way it destroys families, said the Premier.

?Drug impacted neighbourhoods create fear and this situation is untenable in a country where both the Government and citizens are demonstrating their determination to reduce the use and abuse of drugs in Bermuda,? he said.

Mr. Scott said the National Steering Committee for Drugs is developing strategies to curtail drugs supply and demand and create a master plan that ensures different organisations are working together.

?The committee will work across multiple ministries including Health and Family Services, Education and Development, the Attorney General?s chambers, the judiciary, Police, Department of Corrections and the private sector,? he said.

?Initiatives focused on during their first meeting included the drug free workplace, enhancing drug awareness in the educational setting and increasing the profile of Parishes Achieving Change Together within our communities.

?Drugs drive crime, Drugs destroy families. Drugs tear at the fabric of our society. Addressing these issues is a significant part of what is the Social Agenda.?