force to show the feeling against drugs.

More than 5,000 people turned up at the National Stadium on "Living Clean, Living Free'' Community Drug Awareness Day on Saturday.

And they witnessed reggae star Maxi Priest "sacking'' his band on stage and then singing solo with only the crowd to help him.

Earlier the singer had joined other performers in giving an anti-drug message to the crowd including many young people. Despite his own views on marijuana use as part of the Rastafarian religion, he said: "I think my appearance here is a message in itself. It is an honour to be invited to this event.

"A lot of my friends have suffered because of drugs. I know people who have ended up in prison and mental homes because of drugs. We must try to steer the younger generation further away from drugs.'' He was backed by Jamaican rap star Red Fox who had the young crowd going wild with performances of hit songs"Born Again Black Man,'' "Demah Murderer'' and "Ghetto Gospel''.

Red Fox laughed at stories that he, and his band, had been taking drugs.

He said: "We want to get the message across that drugs are wrong. We are against drugs unless they are used for religious reasons.'' The two singers were separated by National Drug Commission steering committee chairman Mr. Alastair MacDonald who led the crowd in a chant of "We are united against drugs''.

Mr. MacDonald said: "When you think of drugs you think of all the people who have died and all the people who have suffered.

"It makes me angry to think that people are still suffering. There is only one way to deal with these problems and that is to work together.'' Community Drug Awareness Day began with prayer by Bishop of Bermuda the Rt.

Rev. William Down. The Bishop said: "We pray for all who are hooked on drugs, that they may be helped and enabled to overcome their addiction, for their family, their friends and the people who care for them.

"We pray that you will change the hearts and minds and lives of those who now traffic in drugs, that they may turn away from their evil course.'' He was followed by the Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan, who said: "Today should be a wake up call in which we do not whisper that we have had enough of drugs but a day in which we open our mouths and our hearts to say that drugs in our society are unacceptable.'' Other guests included speakers from both political parties, the church and AIDS campaigner Mr. Martin Smith.

Dr. Vincent Bridgewater told the crowd of his battle to fight drug addiction.

He was an addict for 10 years and he said: "I have been off them for five years, fours months and five days.'' Musicians appearing included Jahstice, Tony Brannon's Soca group, Carol-Ann Williams and Lady Tyson, the Empress Mennen Dancers, Legacy and Destiny.

Bootsie and Bruce Barritt provided the comedy.

Project committee chairman Sgt. John Dale thought the day was "fantastic.'' He said: "It was a beautiful day and a clear message was sent around Bermuda to say no to drugs.'' He said people who attended the show must continue to spread the anti-drugs message to people who were not there. He said: "It is not just a one-day thing.'' He stressed that all the organisations needed help in fighting drug abuse and the people who illegally deal in drugs must be weeded out of society.

Sgt. Dale was too busy watching the crowd to realise what had happened with the Maxi Priest performance.

On stage Maxi was not happy with the computer enhanced backing played by Tony Brannon, which had taken hours to prepare, and asked him to turn it off.

After the show Maxi said: "It is the first time I have ever done anything like that. It was no problem.'' Sgt. Dale said: "It still sounded good to me.'' MAXI-MUM AWARENESS -- Maxi Priest meets some of his young fans during Saturday's Drug Awareness Day at National Stadium.