Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves has expressed frustration over Island drug retreat Camp Spirit's continued closure.

The National Drug Commission (NDC) took it over in May from counselling service Focus and promised to reopen it in October, after the summer break for camping at the Darrell's Island venue.

Yesterday, Mr. Greaves, who runs the drug court sessions where criminals with addiction problems agree to seek treatment in return for lighter sentences, said Camp Spirit was a vital cog in the programme.

He told The Royal Gazette: "It deals with hardcore addicts. We are anxiously awaiting for Camp Spirit to re-open. It is a big blow."

But last night NDC Programme Manager Charles Farmer said he didn't know when the programme would re-open or why it was taking so long.

He said: "The NDC has been working really hard to get things going, I don't know when it will open, it hasn't opened thus far."

NDC Chairman Malcolm Butterfield could not be reached last night.

Camp Spirit closed in April when Focus ran out of money but it has been praised by many for helping cure addicts by isolating them from temptations on the mainland during the three-month intensive programmes.