Every segment of Bermuda's community must decide it wants to stamp out the drugs scourge. Until that happens, all efforts will fall short, said Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness yesterday.

And he invited the public to encourage Government to "impinge'' on the rights of drug importers, if necessary.

Responding to a series of articles The Royal Gazette published last week on heroin abuse, Mr. Edness said, "We need to hear the community speak clearly with one voice.

"They need to say to Government. `Mr. Government, do whatever you have got to do. Whatever is necessary to get rid of this drug problem. If you have to impinge on the rights of people who import drugs into Bermuda then so be it.

If it requires stricter sentences then consider that.''' Mr. Edness said that he recognised there were already laws on the statute books that could send a person to prison for life for certain drugs offences.

Mr. Edness said a "well-trained and well-resourced'' Police Service was also an important plank in any plan to reduce the supply of drugs.

He said it was more than just adding extra bodies to the Narcotics Department.

It required each constable to be familiar with the latest techniques.

Mr. Edness said the Proceeds of Crime Bill, which would allow officials to confiscate drug dealers' ill-gotten gains, would be a major blow to the pocket books of drug barons.

He added: "However the supply side must come together with the demand side to help the community understand that we must come together to help these communities to build organisations that will protect and educate our children.'' But most importantly, parents and grandparents must take a stand and refuse to accept money from their children who deal drugs.

"There are simply too many homes that are benefitting from drug sales,'' he continued. "We are going to have to mark that money and make the people who use this money offenders.

"I hope it does not come to that, but we must impress on honest parents to tell their drug-dealing sons and daughters that their drug profits are not welcome.'' Meanwhile, Shadow Health and Social Services Minister Renee Webb said it was time for all the partisan bickering to end.

She praised the National Drug Commission, PRIDE, (Parents Resource Institute For Drug Education) Addiction Services and Youth to Youth for their work.

And she said Government should pour more money into these bodies so that they could continue the fight.

Similarly, she agreed with Mr. Edness that the Narcotics Squad needed more officers and better equipment.

"But where we really need to focus on is our young people in school,'' she said. "I know we have Lion Quest and other esteem building programmes, but we need to have more done to educate our younger people about the dangers of drugs.

"I know one or two schools that have had ex-addicts come in to speak to the students and let them learn about the problem and its difficulties first hand.'' Ms Webb said community outreach was essential.

"I think the fight against drugs should be a non-partisan issue,'' she added.

"The entire community must come forward and say; `Not in my neighbourhood and not around my house.' They have got to hold family members who deal drugs accountable.'''