Harsher penalties for drug dealers who target children and an increased Police presence in known drug areas, were some of the things parents attending a forum at Dellwood School on Wednesday night, want more of.

And they pressed the panel composed of Deputy Premier Jerome Dill, Opposition leader Jennifer Smith, Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness and Chief Inspector Gertrude Barker for support.

It was the second forum that the North Village Community Club has held that has focussed on the issue of drugs.

More than 50 people came to the meeting including at least 12 members of North Village's Under-16 Crystal Palace squad.

One woman said that she was pleased to see a Police patrol on "42nd Street'' (St. Monica's Road) because it helped to curb drug and other illegal activity in the area. Another man asked whether it would have been better to have increased the penalty given to anyone convicted of selling drugs to a child, instead of setting out stiffer penalties for those found guilty of selling drugs in an exclusive zone.

Mr. Edness replied that the law regarding drug activity in exclusive zones acted in much the same way because the exclusive zones often were areas that young people congregated.

However he said that he agreed that now may be the time to look at the idea of increasing the penalty for those convicted of selling drugs to children anywhere on the island.

Chief Inspector Gertrude Barker meanwhile, said that the increased presence of the Police in areas like St. Monica's Road was the intent of the Commissioner Coxall's strategy of putting more Police on the streets.

DRUGS DGS