Assembly last Friday to reply to this newspaper's suggestion that the party is permissive on drugs. What was most interesting about the PLP replies was that they were full of general accusations, invective and name calling but never attempted to answer our suggestions. Why? Because the PLP has no basis on which to do so. It is easy to blame the messenger but hard to deal with the problem.

The best the PLP could do for a specific was presented by Mrs. Lois Browne Evans who recounted her admirable personal assistance to a young woman addict, an event now well over 10 years old. Is that the last time anyone in the PLP offered a hand to fight against drugs? It sounded like it on the floor of the House because surely the PLP would have used a more recent example if it had one.

The truth is that more recently the PLP did not help Dr. David Archibald, despite his pleas for them to do so, and his valid attempt to make the defeat of drugs a national effort. But, more than that, in the days before the last election the PLP actually worked to disrupt the formation of the National Drug Commission. It seemed that the PLP felt there were votes to be had in disrupting the plans set in motion by Dr. Archibald.

When the PLP announced that it would not take part in the second Archibald Report on drugs, it promised to produce its own drugs report. It never did so publicly but we believe a report was produced and that it was so insignificant that the PLP did not dare present it to the public.

These are examples of the PLP's lack of action against drugs. What is more important is the impression the PLP continues to give the public and Bermuda's young people that drug use can be excused. In our view the Government does far too little to combat drugs but, at least, it does not excuse drug abuse.

The stands the PLP takes and the things its members say, intentionally or unintentionally, send the message that drugs are "not so bad'' and that "the system'' is to blame because it is down on people and making a great deal of fuss about not too much. For "system'' read "UBP''. We live in a society where people excuse their actions if they are "victims'' and the PLP constantly gives the impression that drug abuse can be excused. Dr. Ewart Brown did just that again last Friday on the floor of the House of Assembly.

In the House Miss Renee Webb and Dr. Brown failed to take strong stands on drugs, preferring to moan about this newspaper's complaints and to place all the blame on the UBP and "the system''. That's not the point. The point is that drugs are a national issue extending throughout Bermudian society. The PLP is a national political party, the "Loyal Opposition'', and has a duty to be concerned with national issues. Instead, whenever someone tries to move against drugs, the PLP snipes away thus giving the impression that drugs are OK and action against drugs is wrong. It did exactly that when it dealt with the National Drug Authority before the last election.

The PLP seems to think that there are votes to be gained by not being too hard on drugs. That's a very damaging position to take on an issue which is of the greatest concern to Bermudians and which knows no social or political barriers.