A new era in Bermuda's approach to social problems was heralded yesterday as the Bermuda Assessment and Referral Centre (BARC) was officially opened by Premier Jennifer Smith.

The centre is to form the crucial link between the judiciary and drug treatment programmes as the start of the Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) initiative approaches, offering those caught in the throes of drug addiction a ray of hope. The ATI will offer second chances to those who find themselves before the courts as a result of their drug addiction as Magistrates now have the option not to incarcerate on drug crimes, but rather to refer individuals for treatment.

BARC enters the system as a the point of referral from the drug court - which is currently operating on a "practice run" under Magistrate Carlisle Greaves.

At BARC, those individuals referred by the court will be individually assessed and matched to treatment programmes, said programme manager Nadine Lapsley-Dyer yesterday at the opening. The new centre at 61 Victoria Street is a physical manifestation of the work and cooperation between Government ministries, the judiciary and the drug treatment programmes which has been underway for months.

"This is indeed a historic day," the Premier said.

She told those gathered Bermuda was moving into the 21st century in terms of its approach to crime and social issues.

"Gradually but consistently we've moved to a less punitive approach to the handling of social problems," the Premier said of her party's three years in Government. "This is an important step forward in that process."

And Premier Smith highlighted the expected financial benefits of rescuing Bermudians from drug addiction and incarceration. As a result of ATI, she said numbers of those receiving treatment would ultimate drop, there will be fewer people going before the court, the costs associated with the crimes of those on drugs will fall and there will be fewer people in the prison system saving taxpayers money.

"Eventually, we will spend less money and arrive greater benefits," the Premier said.

The Premier was among a number of speakers in the ceremony conducted by NDC chairman Malcolm Butterfield yesterday. Speaking on behalf of the judiciary, Supreme Court Assistant Justice Archibald Warner said courts will now "dispense justice with a social conscience".

"This partnership is not only part of Government's ATI initiative but also should be seen as part of the war on drugs," Mr. Warner said, adding: "It is now clear to all of us the war on drugs cannot be fought or won by any one agency. It must be a multifaceted approach with each segment playing its role."

And Labour and Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox stressed the success of ATI is essential to the future of Bermuda.

"I'm here today because we believe no-one in Bermuda is expendable," Ms Cox said. "We believe in rehabilitation, we believe in hope and we believe in second chances."

She added: "Our philosophy is about saving people, saving lives. Bermuda is too small to throw away any of its people."

Ms Cox also praised the work of the judiciary in developing drug court legislation with the Government which will allow Magistrates to send addicts who fall afoul of the law for treatment rather than to prison.

This is a crucial new option, Health and Safety Minister Nelson Bascome added. "For too long, many of our people - particularly our young men - committed offences for various reasons," he said. These men went to prison but returned to the community untreated, returned to drug use and returned to crime, Mr. Bascome added. It is hoped drug court and ATI will open new doors of opportunity and reduce recidivism.

In developing the ATI initiative Bermuda has worked closely with the Philadelphia Municipal Court which has operated a similar system since 1995.

Presidential Judge Louis Presenza of Philadelphia was also on hand yesterday to celebrate BARC's opening.

"This project has been a part of my life lately," he said. "I had to come to Bermuda."

Mr. Presenza said the system in Philadelphia does not deal with serious criminal offenders but those who are "basically decent people".

"The vast majority of us saw it was time to do something different and give opportunities and that did evolve," he said Philadelphia saw it as an opportunity and a challenge, he added: "The challenge is to take the idea and make it a reality. The opportunity was to change people's lives."

All the building blocks to make a similar system work in Bermuda are here, Mr. Presenza added. "I see an absolutely bright future in what you're trying to do."