With alcohol-related accidents becoming more frequent, the Government hopes to train bartenders to better control their customers' intake.

Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation Dale Butler announced the continuation of the Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS) programme yesterday, a programme which aims to educate servers to discourage underage drinking, drunk driving and general intoxication.

This will be the second session of the programme organised by Bacardi, the Department of National Drug Control, the Centre for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, and Health Communications Inc., which has already trained 18 people on the Island.

The TIPS programme was developed by the Washington, DC-based HCI, and is the first programme of its kind.

"It was such a success, we have decided to expand the programme to make it available to even more servers," said Mr. Butler.

If the DNDC has its choice, the programme will have to train more servers.

The Department has proposed legislation that will require licensed bars and restaurants to have a minimum of two trained servers, and at least one on the premises at all times. While there are already a number of businesses with trained servers, such as the Swizzle restaurants and the Bistro at the Beach, others have not undergone the training, which is currently optional under Bermuda legislature.

Last year, the Bermuda Police Service arrested 280 people on suspicion of drunk driving, with 80 percent of those tested failing the breathalyser test. TIPS trains servers to better determine if an individual is over the limit and teaches techniques that could be used to prevent people from driving.

"TIPS gives individuals the knowledge and confidence they need to recognise potential alcohol-related problems and intervene to prevent alcohol-related tragedies," said Health Communications Inc. CEO Adam Chafetz. "Our goal is to have the entire Bermuda community speaking the same language when it comes to promoting responsible consumption."

The proposed legislation also calls for the 'carding' of all customers and for health warnings to be displayed at the point of sale.

This session of TIPS will be held at Bacardi's global headquarters on Pitts Bay Road from June 2-6, including a two-day 'train-the trainer' workshop and a three-day server training course.