explored to halt the potential for initimidation and reprisals, a Minister told a conference in Sri Lanka.

Youth Development Minister the Hon. Pam Gordon, was one of a delegation from Bermuda at the recent Commonwealth Parliamentary Association's Small Countries Conference, held in Sri Lanka.

It was held to discuss issues affecting small countries such as law enforcement, justice, drug abuse and domestic violence.

Bermuda's delegation was led by Ms Gordon and included Se. Alf Oughton and Progressive Labour Party MP Ms Renee Webb.

Speaking on the justice system, Ms. Gordon told delegates that in places such as Bermuda there was potential for reprisal, intimidation, personal bias, and racial and cultural influences because of the Island's size.

And she suggested that a formula involving groups of judges could be explored as a viable alternative to the jury system.

Ms. Gordon also said that the term domestic violence should be replaced by "violence against women'' saying if a man beat his wife it was called domestic violence. If a man beat another man, she said, it was called grievous bodily harm.

"Unless the prevailing perspectives on domestic violence are reviewed travesties of justice with respect to offences involving violence against women will continue unabated,'' Ms Gordon told the conference.

Ms Gordon also told delegates that drug addiction had reached "alarming levels'' in Bermuda which was "a heaven'' for dealers because of its affluence.

She said use of marijuana and heroin had accelerated in recent years and cocaine was also becoming a serious problem. To help counter the threat, she said the Government had set up and National Drug Strategy and National Drug Commission. On health care, Sen. Oughton told the conference that Bermuda was facing escalating health costs -- more than 100 percent over the last ten years, with only a 60 percent rise in the cost of living over the same period.

He told delegates that he was chairing a comprehensive health care review, focusing on escalating costs and other problems.