when they approved changes to the Marine Board Act.

The changes allow the Transport Minister to prevent boats from approaching ships in port -- and thereby prevent drugs being passed from ships to local boats.

It also raises the fine for illegal smoke emissions from ships from $10,000 to $15,000, and for the first time makes it illegal for a ship to emit excessive smoke while underway, and not just when at anchor.

Sen. Ira Philip (PLP) said he had no objection to the restriction on boat movements but wanted it better explained. He was concerned that notice to boaters would be inadequate.

The Opposition would support doing "whatever we possibly can to minimise or eliminate pollution.'' Sen. Wendell Hollis (UBP) said the legislation should encourage ships not to pollute -- and should also allow the Transport Minister to prohibit ships carrying dangerous cargo from coming into the Islands.

If this is so, Opposition Senate Leader Sen. Alex Scott said, "maybe this is the moment'' to keep nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed ships out and make Bermuda a nuclear free zone.

Keeping small boats away from ships will put an extra load on the Marine Police, he said, who are already burdened by "administrative matters.'' Among the administrative problems, he said, was the fact that boaters unwittingly end up with criminal records for minor offences like having unregistered boats.

Sen. Norma Astwood (Ind.) said she was concerned about a proliferation of "little bits of legislation'' that seem "designed in many ways to play catch-up where an offence has occurred''.

Government should take note that the legal draughtsmen must be overworked -- or the taxpayers must be supporting large numbers of draughtsmen.

Sen. Jerome Dill (UBP) disagreed that Government was playing "catch up''. As he understood it, the legislation about boat movements responded to the National Drug Strategy, and that it made sense to deal with the pollution issue as well.

Sen. Trevor Woolridge (PLP) questioned whether or not the UBP was serious about eliminating drugs, and questioned whether the Police were properly equipped.

"If it's true that the United Bermuda Party is in fact serious about this matter of eliminating drugs out of our community, I think it's important that we equip those persons who will have to act on behalf of the Minister in carrying out those responsibilities.'' If the problem of drugs was being treated seriously, he said, why not consider asking Britain for such help as a helicopter and boats.

Yachts arriving in Bermuda have been told to dock, and that they would be checked by Customs later, he complained.

The former Police Commissioner said most drugs come into Bermuda by sea, but there are cases of containers being cleared through Customs by telephone, while strip searches continue at the airport.

"The morale of the Police is at an all time low,'' he said. "...Those at the forefront must be equipped and supported.'' Sen. Maxwell Burgess (UBP) said the claim that Government isn't taking drugs seriously was "ludicrous'' and "an untruth''. Customs has developed profiles to help it know what persons -- and what containers -- should be searched, and Sen. Woolridge ought not "misinform'' the public that containers can simply be cleared through Customs with a telephone call. "It's the Department of Customs that decides what containers will be cleared.'' Senate Leader the Hon.. Michael Winfield said Sen. Woolridge had inferred that Government had not given Police the equipment they needed. A great deal of money has been spent on equipment, he said, and the Police are equipped to do the job they are asked to do.

Government's commitment to combating drugs is serious and was demonstrated by its involvement from the beginning in the National Drug Strategy. The same involvement could not be claimed by the Opposition, he said.

The Hon. Pamela Gordon (UBP) said Government is showing its commitment to the National Drugs Strategy by acting quickly. Boats have been observed receiving packages passed from the portholes of ships, she said.

The Hon. Pamela Gordon.

Sen. Alex Scott.