strike against the menace of drugs in prisons.

The MP urged Government to waste no time in stamping out the movement and use of narcotics in the Island's penal facilities -- which he said are hampering efforts to rehabilitate prisoners.

Mr. Dunkley called on the PLP to give the Prison Service the help and manpower it needed to tackle the issue, highlighted by the annual report by the Treatment of Offenders Board.

"Drugs in prisons are a symptom of not taking care of business,'' he said.

"They are only in there because the Prison Service hasn't done the job it is supposed to do. But they need leadership to help them and extra staff.'' He said it was vital to stamp on the drugs problem, which would then provide the platform for addressing other issues such as rehabilitation, punishment and prison lifestyle.

The report said the problem of narcotics was virtually out of hand at the Prison Farm and it was extremely difficult to keep drugs out of Westgate.

There was a perception, Mr. Dunkley said, that putting people in prison would solve problems, but it was now accepted that there is a need for a whole system of services and programmes to help inmates whilst they are inside and prepare them for life outside.

Training for skills and trades, community service and classes could all help prepare inmates for their release, providing them with the tools for leading a more productive life rather than slipping back into crime.

But there was also a responsibility for prisoners to take responsibility, he said, adding that many programmes designed to help were under-utilised.

The planned halfway house will help prisoners, but he called for more programmes designed to aid inmates and benefit the community by equipping them to be a useful member of society.

"We need a major rethink of what we do in our prison system and how we move forward,'' he said. "We don't know the problems people face when they come out, the obstacles they face -- they don't have a job, housing or money.

"It is easier to slip back into what they were doing before. Those people accept them, we don't accept them. We all make mistakes, if we don't help people after prison, it will be a revolving door.'' Mr. Dunkley recommended the use of community service, putting people to work for the good of society -- cleaning beaches or roads, for example.

"I don't care what it costs, we need to look at that,'' he added.

And inside prison, there was a need to get tougher with those who broke rules.

A "three strike'' system, whereby prisoners lost privileges and eventually had to do extra work because of their actions, could be looked at, he said.