Email: awarner@ubp.bm

Work Telephone: 239-2038

Home Telephone: 297-5752

Austin Warner Jr. is a self-confessed ''people lover.''

As a radio host, counselor, pastor and teacher, Austin uses his God-given talents to benefit the community around him whenever he can. Above all, he is committed to making the world a better place.

He has worked as a guidance counselor at Sandys Secondary Middle School, but is probably best known as the producer and host of Family Focus, his popular award- winning weekly radio show on ZBM 1340.

As Director of Development at the Council Partners Charitable Trust from 1998-2003, he was familiar to thousands of Bermudians as the presenter of the organization's hugely successful "Give for a Day, Help for a Lifetime" telethon, which raised nearly $1.5 million for substance abuse prevention and treatment programmes.

Austin believes that Bermuda's public life should be based on the principles of honesty, integrity and sincerity; and that all elected officials and civil servants should start each day reminding themselves that they are there to "serve the people of Bermuda."

Austin is committed to returning "educational excellence" as a fundamental Bermudian value. He believes education reform that begins and ends with the interest of the child at heart is the only answer to the current malaise.

Austin believes more must be done to fight the scourge of drug abuse. He supports the development of a behavioural health care facility to treat men and women struggling with addictive disorders, and believes there needs to be an Island-wide interdiction programme involving churches, families and government, as well as the Police.

“The only way to reduce the inflow of illegal drugs is for everyone to get involved,” he says.

Austin goal is to establish a platform of acceptance, appreciation and gratitude for all those who provide a service to this community. He deliberately avoids condemnation or criticism because he believes we are truly all "one family." He encourages everyone he meets to "be very gentle with themselves and those around them" and believes that: "We are transformed and renewed by the Promises of God."

Austin was born in New York City on August 17 1952. He first came to Bermuda in 1977 to work as a counselor at the former Reach Our Rehabilitation Centre on Palmetto Road in Devonshire. Since then, he has worked as a medical social worker at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, as a guidance counselor at Sandys Secondary School, and as clinical coordinator at Addiction Services before joining the Council Partners Charitable Trust where he was Director of Development.

It was during his time at Addiction Services that Austin ventured into local radio to host what became the award-winning Family Focus, Bermuda's "good news" programme focusing on people who contributed to the community.

Austin has a Masters Degree in Counseling from Faith College, Alabama and he has studied Theology at Oakwood College, also in Alabama. He is currently pursuing his Ph. D. in Addiction Psychology at the International University for Graduate Studies.