have been left to organise their own drug policies because the Education Minister had failed to take the lead.

But the Hon. Clarence Terceira hit back at Ms Smith, saying she "has no idea what has been going on'' in drug prevention schemes in the schools.

And he said the Ministry's long awaited Code of Conduct, which has a section on drug and alcohol abuse, was being sent back to principals this week.

Ms Smith said Dr. Terceira had not acted on recommendations contained in the 1982 First Report of the Royal Commission into the Use and Misuse of Illicit Drugs and Alcohol or on recommendations made in the 1987 Education Planning Team Report.

"The public announcement by Dellwood Primary school principal Mr. Dale Butler concerning selling drugs on school property and the subsequent setting up of a Parent Patrol Group at the school, combined with the announcement that Berkeley Institute has instituted a policy for drug testing students, highlights the fact that the Ministry of Education has failed,'' Ms Smith said.

She said both reports called for an explicit policy concerning alcohol/drug use as well as approved curricula, trained teachers and intervention and educational programmes.

"While the Minister publicly noted that his Ministry was against drug use of any sort, no such public explanation has been given of the Ministry's failure to implement recommendations, from either of the two reports, that might have helped lesson the extent of the present situation in schools,'' Ms Smith said.

She said the recommendations contained in the Royal Commission's report were designed as a "how to do it'' outline for the Bermuda school system.

"It is time that Bermudian taxpayers demand accountability for the amounts of money spent on reports that are then shelved.'' Ms Smith said.

She also stated that if such reports are worth doing, "they are worth carrying out''.

"In this case, it is obvious that the Education Ministry disregarded the words of caution contained on page 64 of the Royal Commission report where they were warned that `the important thing to do is get started -- and soon','' she said.

But Dr. Terceira said it was "ridiculous for her to think nothing was being done''.

"Ms Smith has no idea about what has been going on,'' Dr. Terceira said. He added: "We have had, for a few years now, the Life Skills programme in schools which is very weighted towards alcohol and drug abuse.'' Dr. Terceira also said the Ministry was working very closely with the National Drugs Commission and Mr. Mansfield (Jim) Brock on methods of intervention and treatment.

"To say that Berkeley Institute came up with their drugs programme on their own is wrong because I met with Berkeley's school board and the National Drug Commission to discuss it,'' Dr. Terceira said.

He added that the Code of Conduct, which is being sent back to school principals this week, also had a section in it for alcohol and drug abuse.

"We received a lot of input from the Parent Teachers Association and Police on the Code on Conduct. It covers the rights and responsibilities of principals and teachers, parents and students,'' Dr. Terceira said.

"We have not been sleeping on the job by any means.''