Gordon Pamplin have clashed over the issue of drug testing in sports.

Recently the Bermuda Softball Association was locked out of a Government-run event at Bernard Park because of its stance on drug testing of its members.

In the House of Assembly on Friday night Mrs. Gordon Pamplin said both softballers and other sports people had suggested they were upset at the way Government had "rammed through'' the legislation and was forcing compliance.

But Mr. Lister responded that Mrs. Gordon Pamplin should "talk to her sister'' Pamela Gordon who was Sport Minister when the legislation was first made law.

"While I understand the stand taken by Government,'' Mrs. Gordon Pamplin explained, "I believe it should have been incumbent on the Minister to (speak) on what steps he has taken to ensure that the facilities don't lay idle and why the organisation has not signed on to the policy.'' She said the dissenters had also complained that people who had failed drug tests were also failing to attend Government sponsored counselling.

She added: "The Minister's silence on this is deafening. They don't necessarily agree with the policy and they feel that the legislation was rammed through and they ought not be bound by it.

"Apparently, in certain sports, particularly football, the random drug testing that is being carried out some of the people found with positive traces of drugs were in fact not receiving the rehabilitation that has been ordered.'' Mr. Lister responded: "You should talk to your sister. It was alleged that this was rammed down their throats.

"We all know that the drug testing did not come after November 1998,'' he added. "It's been in place long before that. If it was the case then she'll have to talk to her honourable sister.'' Mr. Lister added that he had operated in the spirit of "compromise'' when he made rehabilitation part of the programme.

"The policy in place when I, Dennis Lister became Minister was that they would be immediately banned for one year,'' he explained. "Now the policy is that you should agree to go to counselling while playing.

Mr. Lister said proof of the change came from Opposition member CV (Jim) Woolridge who was nodding in approval.

"He very strongly opposed it (when it was debated in the House of Assembly),'' Mr. Lister explained. "He's nodding. That indicates that it was not in place (under the UBP).''