Bermuda's Drug Court could be operating as early as "the latter part of 1999'', the new head of the National Drug Commission said yesterday.

Former Registrar of Companies Malcolm Butterfield made the comments after Health and Social Services Minister Nelson Bascome announced his appointment as NDC chairman along with deputy PLP leader MP Wayne Perinchief.

Mr. Butterfield, now working in the international business sector as an associate with KPMG Peat Marwick Bermuda, said the NDC's focus would continue to be drug prevention.

But with a new leader at the helm of the body, its style of achieving its goals was bound to differ from before, he said.

"We are going to ensure that we continue to foster a positive relationship with all of the drug agencies that operate in Bermuda. And it is the addict as well as the community at large who will benefit from that cooperation.'' Mr. Butterfield pledged that the NDC would make greater efforts to push for the design and implementation of the drug court.

"It's anticipated that we would like to have it in place as soon as practically possible. Hopefully, during the latter part of 1999 if we were able to stick to an aggressive timetable.

"But certainly it may be early 2000 before everything that needs to be implemented is in place.'' He said the NDC was in the midst of discussions with the Government.

"We have made a commitment to support changes in Bermuda's criminal justice system to affect the way in which persons who come before the courts and who are in need of treatment for alcohol and drug abuse are treated.

"The NDC has many ongoing and future initiatives that will be pursued during the next several months.

"We will continue to develop the `Drugs Don't Work Here' programme.

"These programmes have now been developed within 12 hotels and the NDC is now working with the Government to implement a similar programme for the public service.'' He said the second annual Adult Population survey being spearheaded by the NDC was now in progress.

"And it is certain that the results of this survey will be available to the public by mid-summer of this year.

"This survey will be addressing the views of the public with respect to the implications of substance abuse in our community. It should be noted as well that this survey is an in-house initiative of the NDC.'' Other members of the NDC Board are Roderic Pearman, Helen Pearman Ziral, Austin Warner, Louis DeSilva, Corin Smith, Janelle Wesch Clark, Gwyneth Robinson, Vincent Bridgewater and Rev. Andrew Doughty.

DRUGS DGS