Boredom, not malice, caused youngsters to spray graffiti on property in the Horseshoe Road, Southampton area, a resident has claimed.

Thirty-one-year-old Darren Burchall, who has grown up in the area, told The Royal Gazette : "All those youngsters are doing is crying out for something to do.'' Mr. Burchall was responding to reports last week that vandals were destroying the "close-knit'' community.

Graffiti referring to a notorious area of Harlem and drugs was sprawled along a wall bordering Horseshoe Road and on a nearby bus shelter.

Concerned resident Raymond Todd and Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness called on the community to take a stand against such activity and reclaim the community.

"Hundreds of tourists get off the bus here and as soon as they see `Quality 110th Street' sure enough they will know it is a drug area,'' Mr. Todd said.

But Mr. Burchall, a former vice president of nearby Southampton Rangers Sports Club, said Mr. Todd had never offered suggestions to the club about addressing the problem.

"It's time that Mr. Todd stopped running to the newspaper and trying to make this neighbourhood look like it is some dump,'' he stressed.

"We as a community have to come together and help the community. I invite people like Mr. Todd to come down to the club and have various classes and activities for the youth.

"That's what's going to drive the drug dealers away. If this (graffiti) is a problem, why not have a competition for the youngsters and then have them paint the wall.'' Mr. Burchall said he knew of other residents who shared his views.

"This is a nice community,'' he stressed. "It's a big neighbourhood and a lot of children are coming out of school and finding there is nothing to do.

Sometimes their parents are only home to give them supper and then have to go to a second job in order to pay the rent and put food on the table.

"It's time for people to stop blaming everything on drugs. We have to find solutions to our problems.'' While admitting that "a lot'' of what Mr. Burchall was saying was true, sixty-three-year-old Mr. Todd said: "Youngsters now from age six and up are involved in drugs.'' He said he had asked Police to give him time to round up a group of residents who could solve the area's problems.

But he added: "Everybody is in fear. Everybody's scared. I've been warned I better watch myself.

"It's to a point where people are giving up and people are frightened.

"We can reverse that by having people like Mr. Burchall take a stand. No-one has taken a stand other than the old people. But we're dying and it is disturbing what can happen when we are gone.

"The writing is on the wall when they use the term 110th Street which is a notorious area in Harlem. And quality refers to the drugs.'' Mr. Todd said he and about six others were prepared to rally up support from the community.