work ethic, union leader Edward Ball Jr. said last night.

Mr. Ball, the general secretary of the Bermuda Public Services Association, said it was time to stop making excuses for the behaviour of some young Bermudian men.

He said if employers found workers taking drugs or alcohol on the job they should order them to get counselling or sack them.

It was time for the community to stand up and say it will not tolerate young men who are unproductive.

"Everyone is making excuses for people's behaviour and people have got to take charge of their destiny,'' he said.

"You get a young man who goes to his work in some industries and he's on drugs or taking alcoholic beverages on the job and he is looking for his employer to guarantee him work even though his productivity is not what it should be.

"Employers need to say firmly: `We don't allow drugs or alcohol on this job and if you are caught you go on the employee assistance programme (drug counselling) or are fired.' "We have to teach young men how to budget their money because they are paid on a Friday and by Monday or Tuesday they are broke and are looking to their employer for change. That's ludicrous.

"I am saying to people we should be looking to role models if Bermuda is to move forward and address these issues in the 21st Century.

"It is time for the community to take charge and bring these things back to order and to say we are not going to allow this behaviour to happen.

"We have got to stand up and be firm and send a message to all young men that we're not going to put up with this as a community.

BPSA chief criticises `slackers' and causing chaos in Bermuda.

"The world is changing and Bermuda has to change with the rest of the world because our competitors are always looking to do it better.

"I am hitting out against males who are not productive, be they black, white or Portugese.

"People going from one job to another then another without any skills is not doing anyone any good.

"People have got to work, but they need skills. In the construction industry you might want to look at people being registered as skilled craftspersons so employers could say `if you want to work on this job you must have the skills'.'' Respect: Edward Ball