Health and Social Services Minister Kim Young said yesterday.

And she slammed the Bermuda Industrial Union for failing to take action to curb drug dealing and use in its parking lot off Hamilton's Court Street.

Ms Young said: "The BIU leader Derrick Burgess is also a PLP MP -- which promised a `real war on drugs' in its manifesto and its first Throne Speech.

"If that was a serious promise, they should keep it -- if a PLP Member of Parliament is making a statement like `that's what the Police are for', that doesn't go along with a war on drugs.'' She was speaking after The Royal Gazette reported that the car park, between Court and Union streets, had become a major haven for drugs -- described as "a needle park'' by one resident.

The resident said part of the problem was that the strip was open at both ends, with a pedestrian exit on to Court Street, giving an escape route if Police drove in the other end.

Mr. Burgess said the union did own the car park -- but that attempts by union officials to deal with the problem could cause more problems than it would solve.

He added that the matter had been reported to the Police -- and insisted that the union deplored drugs, but that problems like that were best left to professionals.

The Police Service pledged that -- with the end of the cruise ship season -- the drugs squad could be turned on to the streets, with support from Task Force officers.

But Ms Young also proposed a variety of solutions to cut down or eliminate drugs problems in the area.

She said actions by the BIU as simple as putting up bright lighting or closing off one end of the parking lot would make it less attractive for drug crime.

And she added: "They could call the MPs for the area and ask if they could get something done about it or help organise the neighbourhood against drugs -- or lobby the Police.'' Ms Young said: "Derrick Burgess should be setting an example to other people in the community -- not abdicating responsibility and saying it's not their job.

"That sets a poor example and it's not good for young people to see that somebody is saying dealing with drugs is not their job.'' Ms Young added that drugs and the crime associated with it affected not only local residents, but the profits of local businesses, many of them small firms.

She said: "Most people realise most crime in Bermuda is drug-related. If we deal with drugs, we might reduce crime, which is a major concern for most people.

"And most people are not going to go where it's a known drugs environment and if the businesses up there intend to survive, they need customers.

"But people are not going to go there if they know there are criminal activities taking place.

"There are a lot of small businesses in that area and it must hurt them.'' Ms Young added: "If the BIU were serious about reducing drugs they could even hire a security officer to be there and not allow it to start in the first place.

"There is an old car there, which is a great hangout for people to use drugs -- they could get rid of that.'' And Ms Young said: "If they were really serious about reducing the supply of drugs in Bermuda, they could close the parking lot down and build a drug rehab centre.''