Bartenders may start becoming stricter with customers who have had one too many.

Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation Dale Butler began the second round of Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS) yesterday.

Adam Chafetz, CEO of Health Communications Incorporated (HCI), said: "What we are trying to do with the TIPS Programme in Bermuda is to first start out training bartenders and servers to deal with situations involving people who drink too much alcohol before they become a problem."

"We can educate servers to have the confidence to do something about that situation and prevent that person from hurting themselves or someone else," he said.

TIPS is the second initiative of the National Drug Control Master Plan and Action Plan 2007 — 2011.

In the previous TIPS workshop that took place in March, 18 participants were trained in responsible sale, distribution, service and alcohol consumption.

The Department for National Drug Control partnered with the Centre for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention (CADA), HCI and Bacardi Ltd for the creation of the workshops.

Mr. Butler said: "This dedicated partnership is committed to providing retailers, bartenders and waitresses with the skills to assist patrons in recognising their limits in alcohol consumption and providing refusal skills to those who might inadvertently or intentionally drink to access."

Anthony Santucci, chairman of CADA said: "Selling and serving alcohol responsibly means monitoring patrons for signs for significant intoxication and if these signs are present, intervening in the correct way."

"It takes knowledge, confidence and skill to intervene effectively with intoxicated patrons," Mr. Santucci added.

The training session includes role play of potential bartender/intoxicated customer situations.

Mr. Chafetz said: "Drinking alcohol is an important part of our society. That is why we all play an important part in making sure that people drink responsibly."

Mr. Butler hopes that the outcome of these workshops will lead to less drink driving and alcohol-related accidents.

"We look forward to the desired outcome of more responsible sales, distribution and consumption of alcohol on the Island which we hope will have a direct impact on the decrease in the number of accidents associated with alcohol consumption," said Mr. Butler.

A few of the local establishments taking part in the workshops include The Frog and Onion, Spinning Wheel, Tio Pepe Restaurant, Henry VIII And Grotto Bay Resort.

If you are interested in signing up your staff for a training workshop call CADA at 295-5982.