Government and school officials are remaining tightlipped over calls for condoms in schools.

The Allen Vincent Smith Foundation this week revealed -- through a random telephone survey of 700 teenagers -- that 35 percent of teens believe the best place for condoms to be made available was in schools. A further 35 percent said pharmacies would be the best place.

In addition, the survey said 43 percent of teens did not know where to go to get tested for the AIDS virus, and 47 percent did not know where to get information on AIDS/HIV.

The survey -- carried out by WAVE Marketing to help the Foundation chart future AIDS prevention strategies -- also showed that although most teens had a clear understanding of the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, many still refused to protect themselves during sex.

Of the 81 percent of teenagers who learned of AIDS in schools, the survey noted, nearly 55 percent of sexually-active teens refused to use condoms.

"It seems the point is not getting through to them,'' Foundation spokesman Joe Gibbons said.

"Clearly we have to continue working to get the message across.'' Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness, some three years ago as Health Minister, urged schools to make condoms available to students.

"We must not let our guard down in the protection of the population, in particular our young people,'' he told The Royal Gazette . "We must stop fooling around in the protection of young people -- in the schools and in the community.'' However, he stressed that it should only be done in conjunction with health education programmes and that voluntary sexual abstinence should be promoted first as the only way to avoid contracting the AIDS virus.

Mr. Edness -- who is off the Island -- also said Government was considering several new initiatives in the fight against AIDS, including setting up a national AIDS commission with full-time staff to oversee and coordinate Bermuda's AIDS education and prevention efforts.

"I don't see that is has to be a stand-alone organisation,'' he said about the suggested anti-AIDS body. "In England they have created a department right in the Ministry of Health that coordinates all efforts, both Government and non-Government.'' However, former Health Minister Harry Soares said yesterday it would be "unfair'' for him to comment and suggested contacting new Health Minister Clarence Terceira -- who replaced him on Wednesday -- or Chief Medical Officer John Cann.

But Dr. Terceira said he was just settling into his portfolio and was not prepared to comment until he was brought up to speed by the former Minister and his Permanent Secretary.

Education Minister Jerome Dill also said he had to "reserve comment'' on the suggestion of distributing condoms in schools.

And school officials remained silent on the issue.

National PTA president Anthony Steede said: "It's not something I'm prepared to make a statement on at this time. But we certainly do need to discuss it.'' However, Shadow Health Minister Renee Webb said the fact that 55 percent of the youngsters polled were engaging in unprotected sex meant the anti-AIDS message was not reaching them.

"The whole issue of AIDS should be addressed in the schools,'' Ms Webb said.

"Of course we realise the only safe sex is no sex at all. But if persons choose to engage in sex, they should be taught about the proper use of condoms. And if that is not being taught at home, it should be taught in the schools.'' Ms Webb stressed she was not advocating unregulated distribution of condoms in the schools.

"If they are going to distribute condoms in schools, it should be done with counselling,'' she suggested, "perhaps by the guidance counsellor. We have to do something to ensure that people are aware of this disease.

"I know the moral advocates will say that they (students) should not be having sex anyway. But for those who are, they have to be protected.'' Ms Webb also suggested that some young people remained apathetic to warnings about AIDS because the incidents of people with full-blown AIDS was not high among Bermuda's youth.

"So I think young people think that does not affect me. We should look at enlightening them.'' While Ms Webb said she did not believe an AIDS commission was necessary, she called for Government to throw more support behind the AVSF.

"The Allen Vincent Smith Foundation is doing a good job and perhaps more Government support should be given to them,'' she said.

SURVEY SUR