A group of Sandys youngsters staged a press conference yesterday to blast Government indifference.

The junior committee of the Sandys Youth Community Club, headed by Raymond Mouchette, made it clear that they wanted the public to know they felt they were getting "a raw deal'' from Government over securing a youth centre in Somerset.

The group have been looking for a home for sport and recreational activities for the past two years. One of the sites they have been eyeing is a building on the old Canadian baselands at Daniel's Head in Sandys.

But the youngsters -- who met at the Royal Naval Field in Sandys yesterday -- complained that they have not been a priority with Government.

"Government spent the last two and a half years promising us that they would lend us support for our programme but the youth don't seem to be their number one priority,'' said 17-year-old Mr. Mouchette. "Even the drug dealers across the field are showing us more respect for what we are doing, than Government is showing us. Don't we matter to them?'' The outspoken youth added that he suspected half of the drug dealers would not be engaging in such activity if programmes like those that Sandys Youth Group founder Gerald Fubler was offering had been in place years ago.

"They see kids coming there and they encourage them to go and not hang on the streets, now if drug dealers can see the importances of the group then why can't Government?'' Several of the young men stressed that had it not been for Mr. Fubler and his programme, they did not know where they would be or what they would be doing.

And they used the press conference to let Government and the public know that they were not going to give up on the issue.

"It seems to me that Government knows how to punish us when we do something bad, but they don't know how to support the youth or give us opportunity,'' Mr. Mouchette added. "They spent more money building Westgate (Correctional Facility) then they have spent on positive things for the youth.'' Fifteen-year-old Rudolph Simons said: "I'm arguing that the youth are always being talked about in a negative way, and no one wants to come out and support us when we are trying to do something good, but if we lot went ahead and blew up a car or something, everybody would be talking about us then.'' "One thing about Bermudians, we don't stick together,'' the youngster added.

"And it seems like if you do something wrong they want to remind you of it for the rest of your life. Even if you try to redeem yourself, they still don't want to accept you back.

"We are our the future of this Island, the stepping stones for future generations to come, so what kind of future can you expect to have if you don't invest in it? "I hear older folks saying that the Island is going down hill. Well if the youth were getting what they need, they wouldn't have to worry about that.

Bermuda would be a better place for it.'' Another member of the group, 18-year-old Rudolph Fox, wondered out loud if Premier Pamela Gordon cared since she took on her new role.

"When Pamela Gordon was still Minister of Youth and Sports she said that she was behind us all the way,'' he recalled. "And now that she is Premier and has the power to help us, she is nowhere to be found. Maybe we need new leadership. Maybe we need the PLP (Progressive Labour Party) to get into office before we can expect anything to be done for black youth in Bermuda.'' When asked how it made him feel to see the youth group stand up and state the facts for themselves, Mr. Fubler said: "It brought tears to my eyes. It really did, cause this is long over due, the youth have to stand up and let their voices be heard.'' The building, for which the group is fighting, is located near the entrance of Daniel's Head and is being used for storage. This, Mr. Fubler explained, was why his group was puzzled about Government not helping them get into the place.

Assistant chairperson of the Sandys Action Group Charles Hayward offered his opinion on why they still have not secured a building at Daniel's Head.

"They're trying to recoup the money they lost from the baselands,'' he said.

The group plans to hold a public meeting on Thursday evening. The venue is to be announced.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS -- Members of the Sandys Youth Group junior committee stand in unity at the Royal Naval Field to demand action from Government.

GOVERNMENT GVT