learning that his former school became a notorious narcotics den.

Dr. Derrick Binns, chief executive officer of the National Drugs Commission, spent his earliest school years at Powell's Nursery on Friswells Road in Devonshire.

But Police moved in to board up the derelict building yesterday after making 70 arrests there since Boxing Day.

The school closed more than a year ago. Then the building, once home to opera singer Marcelle Clamens, was invaded by drug dealers.

Yetsterday it was turned into a no-go zone and been covered in "no trespassing'' signs.

Dr. Binns, a product of the school along with Shadow Sports Minister Nelson Bascome, said: "It's going back some time that I was there but I do remember it and I remember some of the teachers.

"What I mostly remember is sitting there in the basement room on the benches, learning my ABCs.

"What's happened there since the school closed really does bring it home to me, this entire issue. In some way, we are all affected by the scourge of drugs.

"This is just another example of how it touches my life on a daily basis. I know that place so well, my brother went there and my sister went there too.

It was a very popular neighbourhood nursery school.'' The downstairs school classes were run by Marcelle Clamens' mother, now in her 80s, while the internationally known opera singer lived in the upstairs rooms for several years.

Now the boarded-up building could be used as housing for drug users going through rehabilitation programmes.

Dr. Binns added: "I went there with our treatment co-ordinator, Dr. Lynda Price, yesterday.

"I believe it has potential for use as sheltered housing for people recovering from substance abuse...people who have received treatment or who are receiving treatment and need a supervised sheltered environment.

"We think we can make that happen. We are discussing that option with Government, Police, the Housing Corporation and neighbours in the area.

"We will put forward our recommendations and work with them as closely as possible.'' Insp. Stuart Crockwell, head of the Bermuda Police Task Force, said the new unit had made 780 arrests since it began operations on December 26.

And he said the drug den alone had accounted for around 70 Task Force arrests.

Drug den boarded up He added: "This particular building was used particularly to sell and smoke marijuana.

"The downstairs is strewn with marijuana envelopes. There are also bike frames and parts inside, because it is a building which was used for stripping down stolen mopeds.

"All in all, it was quite a notorious place for criminal activity and one which led to an awful lot of arrests for the Task Force.'' Home Affairs Minister Maxwell Burgess, who watched Police and Government workers move in to board up the property, said: "Here we have a nursery school that produced many good people.

"There was Dr. Binns, Marcelle Clamens and Nelson Bascome himself went here.

"It would be nice if we could meet with the neighbours and give some meaning back to this area.'' Marcelle Clemens Graphic file name: MARCE