which condemn condom hand-outs: "You are poking your heads in the sand.'' Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness stressed evidence showed condoms did not encourage sex.

"We have to be more realistic. This problem of AIDS continues to sneak up on this community more and more.'' Mr. Edness went on to call for a new anti-AIDS advertising blitz.

Last week, the Catholic Church's Bishop Robert Kurtz attacked a plan to distribute condoms in Island bars to mark World AIDS Day -- which is being held today.

"We would not be in favour of giving out condoms in bars -- we are all in favour of raising awareness of AIDS, but there is a certain morality which goes along with that.'' He added: "Simply giving out condoms isn't going to help people to understand what the intimacy of a sexual relationship is all about. "The whole issue is much bigger than just avoiding AIDS by using a condom.'' Last year, the Rev. Frank-X Reitzel, from St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Smith's, blasted Government's "Use Your Condom Sense'' ads.

He described them as "vicious'', saying they were luring youngsters into having sex.

The Bermuda World AIDS Day Committee, however, has defended the decision to place bowls of free condoms at ten pubs and nightclubs.

Said committee chairwoman Mrs. Joan Dillas-Wright: "We knew this was going to be controversial, but those of us who work in the field know that sexually-transmitted diseases have not declined and practices have not changed. It's past the time that we have our heads in the sand.'' Today's World AIDS Day activities take place at the City Hall steps in Hamilton.

The programme will include remarks by Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Cann, Health Minister Harry Soares, Shadow Health Minister Ms Renee Webb and Associate Professor of Medicine at Ohio's Case Western Reserve University and founder of Stopping AIDS is my Mission (SAM), Dr. Victoria Cargill.

There will also be the unveiling of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and a proclamation by Premier David Saul -- a copy of which The Royal Gazette obtained yesterday.

In it, Dr. Saul urges Bermudians to take part in activities designed to heighten AIDS awareness, and promote social tolerance.

He also appeals for them to end discrimination and "join the global effort to prevent the transmission of the HIV virus and the further spread of AIDS''.

Increased communication, education, and preventive action were needed because of the spread of the killer disease, he adds.

According to the proclamation, the World Health Organisation estimates nearly 20 million people, including 1.5 million children, have been infected with HIV.

Yesterday, Mr. Edness said: "We still have an opportunity to contain the spread of AIDS in Bermuda to an acceptable level and to reduce the threat.

"With serious education programmes and with everybody accepting a responsibility about this issue we still have an opportunity. But the opportunity is slipping away quickly and the potential for destruction is growing everyday.'' Mr. Edness stressed that adults must keep on the ball and educate themselves "so that they can carry out their responsibility to the young people''.

And while praising groups like the Allan Vincent Smith Foundation for putting on public forums, he said: "We just don't seem to want to make the effort and tell young people how to protect themselves.'' Mr. Edness stressed the safest method of avoiding HIV was abstinence. But Bermuda had to ensure the sexually active used condoms.

On opposition by churches to condom use, he said: "Until somebody actually has to live with someone close to them suffering from this debilitating disease, people will continue to poke their heads in the sand.''