against drug abuse, according to Health Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness.

Replying to Opposition calls to channel the cash to the new National Drug Commission, Mr. Edness said much of the money will go there via the consolidated fund.

He will make a formal statement to the House of Assembly on Friday pointing out that the present method is written into the Constitution.

And Mr. Edness believes that running the Commission simply using the cash snatched in raids would often fall short of what is required.

Shadow Health Minister Mr. Nelson Bascome and National Liberal Party leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell suggested that the thousands of dollars seized by narcotics officers should go to the Commission instead of the Consolidated Fund.

Mr. Edness said: "We have considered this before and it does seem favourable.

Monies that are confiscated should go to help drug programmes. It often does after going to the consolidated fund.

"The National Drug Commission will receive money from the Government. The Commission should not have to rely to a large extent on money that is confiscated, it needs a dependable source of money.'' Mr. Edness said it would be wrong for the Commission to have to rely on fluctuating amounts of money.

"It would mean taking a chance of there being enough money each year. The Government would still have to find whatever else was needed.'' The requirement for seized money to be placed in the consolidated fund is contained in Section 94 of the Constitution.

The Minister believes that it will be in Bermuda's interests to be seen to use confiscated drug trade money for anti-drug programmes.

He said: "It is the policy of the United States government to give a percentage of confiscated monies to the other country involved in a drug operation, if the country is seen to use the money for a drug educational programme.'' But he added Bermuda would only beat the drugs problem if the entire community was able to pull together.