Government's first public forum on its Master Plan to address the scourge of illicit drug use and its treatment in Bermuda was openly challenged by a judge yesterday.

The Ministry of Culture and Social Rehabilitation released the plan titled The National Drug Control Policy and Master Plan 2007-2011 last December and yesterday was the public's chance to ask questions about it.

Family Court Magistrate Tyrone Chin, who often deals with defendants addicted to drugs, said if the plan is to be taken seriously it must be properly funded and additional drug treatment facilities must be introduced.

Mr. Chin, who stood up to address the three-member panel during the question and answer session, said at the meeting hall at the Hamilton Anglican Cathedral, that although he presided over Bermuda's Family Court, it was in essence a drugs court. He said he had seen record-breaking levels of arrears – with one person $124,000 behind in payments — and one reason was alcohol.

Mr. Chin added: "Alcohol is a drug but it happens to be legal and there isn't a family in Bermuda that is not affected by alcohol directly or indirectly, so leave alone the heroin, the cocaine, bring alcohol in there as well."

Meanwhile, Senator Thaao Dill, also in attendance, told The Royal Gazette he supported the master plan, especially since Government is addressing the issue of drug users and the importers. He stated: "To know the Government is focused so squarely on the multiprong task of reducing supply and demand — equally, because one feeds into the other; like a snake that eventually eats its tail — pulling that cycle to pieces from a grassroots level to the highest parts of the legislative policy-makers, it's necessary.

"And it's great to know that the adequate resources and attention is being placed on this."He also commented on Mr. Chin's passionate challenge in the meeting: "It's only appropriate right? I mean his passion is matched, I think, by every right-thinking person in the country that understands the severity of the drug problem."And I know the Government is trying to wholeheartedly address it and hopefully the community at large will support us in this (process)."Mr. Chin, while pointing out from his travels that the US has more than 2,500 drug treatment courts, also suggested the panel not divert from the real issues: "If there's an elephant in the room, there's an elephant in the room, let's not talk around the issues."If not, we spend money and time needlessly... if you want to really be serious about this, you have to have the funding." He suggested Bermuda needs more "intensive" in-treatment beds after revealing only ten percent of Drug Court patients are sent to an in-treatment facility with the rest receiving out-patient attention. "So we need from this National Drug Control Policy framework... we need more people there." He suggested staff from the Department of National Drug Control (DNDC) visit places like Philadelphia to "understand" how their drug treatment facilities work.However, Caron Hassan, director of DNDC, told him someone from her department had already visited the city to see facilities.Mr. Chin then replied: "Give the name, because we saw that halfway houses are needed in Bermuda but unfortunately in Bermuda we have this 'NIMBY' problem, Not In My Back Yard."Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation Dale Butler earlier this week informed the House his Ministry has already implemented the plan and arranged four public meetings on it two in March and two in April.Plus, Mr. Butler said the Bermuda Police Service and HM Customs agreed to participate in the forums' panels to provide information to the public on the strategy for 2000-2011 to combat the problem of the supply of drugs in Bermuda.In addition to Ms Hassan, yesterday's panel included Tracey Kelly, Assistant Collector of Customs and Joanne Dean, treatment officer for the DNDC.Earlier, one man stood up to angrily protest the US Government's stop list policy which he said ruins the lives of young black Bermudian men, while also attacking Bermuda's laws criminalising small quantities of cannabis.The man refused to give his name to The Royal Gazette, fearing reprisals from the US Government. He ranted: "Too many young black men have been put on the stop list just for 1.0 grams (of cannabis) for all their life for just having mere possession of marijuana."He then directed his anger to Mr. Kelly, saying Customs officers only stops black young men and not whites at the Airport."In particular, it's always the black young boys that get stopped and they always seem to be dog gone nervous or sweaty but do you ever stop a white woman?"It's always the same excuse! The black boy is nervous so we had to search him and we find something, but he's always the one! Why is the black boy's life being ruined? The Americans say, 'it's not our fault you're on the stop list, it's the Bermudians' fault, the Bermudian law makes them criminals... in our country (USA) it's a misdemeanour (small possession of cannabis)."This is not right! That law should be changed! It's just not right and it's not fair!"The full Master Plan can be viewed on the Government website, www.gov.bm or by calling the DNDC at 292-3049.