attacks on Members of Parliament.

And Mr. Alastair Macdonald has singled out Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade for his criticism.

Chairman of the Interim Steering Committee into the National Drug Commission, Mr. Macdonald accused Mr. Wade of "name calling and innuendo'' when he should have been discussing the drug problem.

Now he is calling on Senators to confine their debate today to the National Drug Commission Act and avoid personal attacks.

Mr. Wade hit out at the way the committee had been selected and said he was concerned that the Progressive Labour Party would not get a good representation when the Commission is formed.

He said that the PLP intended to participate in the Commission but not as "little boys''.

Other Opposition MPs joined in with attacks on how the Commission's board would be set up.

Mr. Macdonald said: "What I am concerned about is that in the House of Assembly what we saw was the beginning of political partisanship in terms of innuendo and suggestion rather than debating the merits of the Bill.

"Quite clearly the Leader of the Opposition got into name calling and innuendo and things like that. I would really like to see them stay away from that sort of thing and stick to the Bill.

"People are beginning to get tired of this and want to see MPs and Senators getting on with the job.'' He defended the make-up of the committee which will eventually set up the Commission which is hoped to eventually crush the drug problem in Bermuda. Mr.

Macdonald said: "When we set up the Interim Steering Committee the Opposition was very much involved.

"When Mr. Wade says only three of 24 PLP got onto the committee I know a lot of people on there with PLP leanings. In fact the United Bermuda Party says it is a PLP committee.

"The PLP has not really been as supportive of the committee as they could have been. And that has been to its detriment in many ways.

"This is a important Bill and it does not help if it all ends up with a lot of people shouting at each other in the Parliament or Senate.'' Mr. Macdonald said the committee endorses the principles adopted by Dr. David Archibald in his report.

They are: "That the Board of the Commission must be composed of high calibre public spirited citizens that the average Bermudian would feel a great sense of confidence in, that represents different interests and is non-political.'' Mr. Macdonald continued: "Dr. Archibald's intent was that the National Drugs Commission should be an independent, non-partisan organisation to co-ordinate and oversee the many diverse initiatives required to deal with the drug and alcohol problems in Bermuda.

"The Interim Steering Committee hopes that the debate in Senate will take place in an atmosphere which keeps these principles in mind.

"And if we can effectively come together as a community it will really make a big difference.''