became the target of a robbery for the third time in a year.

Shadow Youth Minister Mr. Dennis Lister told The Royal Gazette he was alone in the New Garden Patch, on Main Road, Somerset, about 9.30 p.m. on Wednesday when two hooded men walked in with machetes.

Mr. Lister, who was reading a newspaper, said he looked up to greet the customers.

He returned to reading the paper, he said, but then thought: "There's something strange about these guys.'' When he looked up again Mr. Lister realised that he was about to be robbed.

But before the two culprits -- dressed in hooded jackets with scarves on their faces -- could finish making their demand, Mr. Lister said he stood and stepped back, reaching for a nearby bat.

"You guys can't be serious,'' the young MP said before banging the bat against the counter and walking around it toward his attackers who quickly fled.

Describing the men as in their 20s and one about his size and the other smaller, Mr. Lister said: "I just passed my point of tolerance''.

However, he stressed that he did not advocate that everyone should respond to such a situation in that way.

He noted that the store has an automatic silent alarm linked to the Police Station.

Mr. Lister's father summoned Police to the store that way when he was the victim of a robbery in January, 1992 and June this year.

In both incidents the robbers brandished a machete and escaped with cash.

A total of $200 was stolen the first time and $60 was taken in June.

No-one was hurt in both cases.

Mr. Lister, who was not in the store during the previous robberies, said his father did what he thought was best.

"Everybody has to respond according to what they feel comfortable with,'' he stressed. "I had reached beyond my tolerance.

"I'm not prepared to let these guys just come in here and do what they like.

I'm going to do what I have to do.'' Mr. Lister said the robberies and attempted robberies have made his family more alert.

He said: "It is one of the unfortunate things of what's happening in society now''.

He also noted that Government had "severely cut'' the Police Force in the last year.

In Somerset alone, he said, the manpower was down by some 20 officers.

"This is not the type of approach I feel should have been taken,'' Mr. Lister said, "especially in Somerset -- an area in one of the West End parishes that has been identified as having a (drug-related crime) problem.''