A trouble-hit Government quango which employs just three secretaries - but no-one else - and swallows up a $6 million annual budget has been slammed as a white elephant by a health insider.

The National Drug Commission (NDC) was set up in 1993, after legislation revamped the now-defunct National Alcohol and Drug Agency (NADA).

And while a yet to be named new CEO is set to start working at the Government quango today, staffing problems have meant that the the agency is unable to carry out any of its work.

Last night when asked what work was being carried out, one health insider said: "Absolutely nothing."

"The NDC has never settled in the many years since its inception," said the source.

"It just doesn't seem to know what it needs to be doing. The new CEO has to have more direction than there has been in the past."

Government grants to the NDC has grown significantly in the last few years. It received $1.8 million in 1999 and now receives close to $6 million annually.

The functions of the NDC include devising a national strategy for drug prevention, providing treatment and prevention on the Island, as well as educating the community on the dangers of drug abuse. Its mission is to help reduce the problems associated with alcohol and drug abuse in Bermuda by formulating policies and procedures.

"I don't think Bermuda needs the agency," said one source who has worked closely with the NDC last night.

"It's a total waste of time. You only need one person to be in charge of policy and procedures, and that's it."

Since 1999, staff turnover has been high. In 2000, CEO Dr. Derrick Binns was seconded to the Ministry of Health as acting director and became the Permanent Secretary in 2001. His successor, businesswoman Cristina Wineinger caught everyone by surprise when she quit the top post suddenly this summer.

Former prevention officer Calvin Ming, Jr., who acted as CEO in Dr. Binns' absence, mysteriously left the NDC after being slighted for the job. He is now the Drug Court Coordinator. And, according to an insider, research officer Dr. Julie Dunstan left the agency late last year in her loyalty to Mr. Ming.

The Royal Gazette understands that she refused to work under Mrs. Wineinger as she felt Mr. Ming was the better person for the job.

One source claimed that professional jealousy was at the heart of the staffing crisis.

"It really started from Dr. Binns - he created this when he got rid of the NDC's first treatment co-ordinator, Lynda Price - he couldn't work with her," the anonymous source said.

An internationally known drug treatment educator, Dr. Price arrived on the Island in 1996.

A source told this paper: "Dr. Price was exactly what Bermuda needed, and Dr. Binns couldn't handle that. Yes, she was little eccentric, but so what?"

An in 1999, her tenure came to a sudden end when she was sacked by the NDC - while she was out sick. According to Dr. Price, NDC chairman Malcolm Butterfield and board member Roderick Pearman hand- delivered her termination to her home.

The Royal Gazette understands her sacking stemmed from what was termed a "turf war" over Bermuda Youth Counselling Services (BYCS) which was created in 1998. A problem between staff and the manager of BYCS escalated after Dr. Binns got involved while Dr. Price was on holiday. She was the BYCS clinical supervisor at the time.

"Dr. Binns basically told her what she could and could not do. But she followed directives from the advisory committee and was fired," an insider told The Royal Gazette three years ago.

Dr. Price's successor, fellow Canadian John Scott, took up the post a year later and it was rumoured that he was fired earlier this year because of personality differences with Mrs. Wineinger.

Dr. Binns is off the Island and unavailable for comment while calls made to Malcolm Butterfield were not returned.