Prisoners in Bermuda should be given condoms to stop the spread of AIDS behind bars, a top expert on the killer disease said yesterday.

The shock recommendation came from Dr. Harold Katner, a US AIDS activist and university chief of infectious diseases.

And last night Health and Social Services Minister Harry Soares -- who is responsible for prisons -- said he would be considering the proposal seriously and raising it at his next meeting with top prison officials.

Dr. Katner said: "One of the biggest problems they have in the States is that prisoners are not allowed condoms.

"But it is well known there is a lot of sexual behaviour inside prisons.'' Dr. Katner said that making condoms available would not only cut the incidence of AIDS, but provide valuable statistics to help the fight against the disease.

He explained if prisoners did not want to use condoms, the HIV infection rate could be checked six months after the offer to see if it had gone up.

Dr. Katner said: "You don't have to use names, just numbers.'' He added: "Issuing condoms would mean the cost to the Prison Service would be greatly reduced if it is accepted that kind of behaviour goes on.'' Mr. Soares said he would consider anything which might cut the horrendous death toll from AIDS.

He added: "No-one has made a suggestion like this before, but we would look at it.

"I am not aware that there is that much sexual activity in prisons -- but we would look at anything which would halt this scourge of AIDS.

"I do accept that, worldwide, prisons face the same problems. I would not question that sex takes place at Westgate or other prisons.'' He was backed by PLP spokesman on health and social services, Renee Webb.

Ms Webb said: "I don't know how pervasive sex is among prisoners -- not that that would matter -- or whether there have been cases of people contracting AIDS while in prison.

"If there is a need to distribute condoms and they think it would help stop the spread of AIDS, then I would support it.'' Dr. Katner is chief of infectious diseases and associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Mercer University and is on staff at the Medical Center of Central Georgia, Macon, Georgia.

He was invited to Bermuda to speak at a public forum on the AIDS issue at Hamilton's St. Paul's Centennial Hall last night as part of the Island's events around World AIDS Day.

Dr. Katner is a leading advocate of beating AIDS through better education of the public and created a funded chair through Mercer University dedicated to AIDS education and research.

Mr. Soares said: "We would have to listen especially carefully to what people of the stature of Dr. Katner say.'' A spokesman for the UK Prison Service said condoms were not routinely issued to prisoners.

But she said: "Condoms are available from a prison doctor based on the medical judgement of that doctor, which is based on the need of the prisoner for them.'' Condoms for convicts From Page 1 Bermuda has the second-highest rate of AIDS infection in the English-speaking Caribbean, behind the Bahamas.

Dr. Katner said around 1,000 Bermudians were likely to be infected with the virus -- more than one in every 600 people.

And he called on Government to fund the use of the cutting edge drugs now available to suppress the onset of the disease and fight symptoms.

He said: "The advantage of Bermuda's size and wealth is -- if the Health Ministry could fund it -- Bermuda could supply medication to all the patients.

"These medications are truly awesome -- we are seeing people who are literally dying getting up and going back to work, becoming fully functioning people again.'' Dr. Katner admitted: "The drugs are very expensive -- but when you talk about the costs of the disease, it's not much.

He added that one theory currently being tested was that the new generation of AIDS drugs could, if the virus was caught early enough, destroy it altogether.

And he said another advantage of Bermuda's small size was that it made contact testing easier.

Dr. Katner said: "If you get contacts early enough, you can control the epidemic, which you can't do elsewhere because of the numbers. There are some awesome possibilities here.'' And he stressed getting the anti-AIDS message over in the community and schools was critical.

He said he used graphic and shocking photographs of AIDS sufferers -- but said that alone was not enough and teaching youngsters the skills to avoid early, high-risk sexual encounters was also needed.

And he added: "We have got to start young with graphic, reality-based material. But we have got to build on that. If we leave it to high school, it's too late.

Dr. Katner warned: "If we do, we are going to lose a lot of them -- in fact, we already are.''