its work in educating the Island on the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases.

Many residents mistakenly believe that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are only a cause of concern for gays and drug users, according to an AIDS awareness spokesman.

And it is such naivete, warned administrative director of the Allan Vincent Smith Foundation, Michael Fox that will keep the numbers of persons on the Island with STIs rising.

"I think people are not willing to assume that potentially they could be at risk,'' he said. "The typical response is, `It couldn't possibly happen to me, I'm a good boy or I'm a good girl.' Sometimes, that ignorance makes them unaware of the potential risks. They think that because they're not gay; because they don't do drugs, they have nothing to worry about.'' As such, Mr.

Fox said, the Foundation is now hoping to establish a set of guidelines businesses can use to facilitate a better understanding of those who find themselves in that situation.

"We have an `AIDS in the workplace' programme which we are redeveloping. We are currently awaiting information from a number of businesses on how they have handled STIs in the workplace. Once we receive that, we will create a toolkit with a list of action steps and make it available on a floppy disc in Word format. Specific information on various situations will be included as examples. We will produce it in the form of a challenge to businesses. We do not want to insist on a specific policy, but we feel it should be clarified to employees who are HIV positive, that it comes under the category of a life-threatening illness. We think it is important in a situation, where there is a person who is HIV positive that they know they can have emotional support. And we think it is important that businesses act as good corporate citizens, not just as businesses out to make money. It's just good business sense. Although they may not have an employee who is HIV positive, sooner or later there will be someone there who is HIV positive or knows someone who is HIV positive and so that person will have issues that may affect their work performance or attendance. That's when HIV becomes company business.'' Mr. Fox made his comments in response to recently released STI statistics by the Health Department. According to the figures released, the number of AIDS cases diagnosed in Bermuda fell to 16, significantly lower than the all-time high of 48 recorded in 1985. In contrast however, the incidence of reported STIs -- which include gonorrhoea, herpes, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes and non-gonoccocal urethritis -- jumped by 18 percent last year with 511 cases compared with 433 in 1999. Mr. Fox said he counselled or spoke with perhaps 30 persons each month mainly via e-mails but also over the telephone as well as those who walked in off the street. What was surprising, he said, was that teenagers appeared more responsive to the information provided by the Foundation than adults did.

"We do have a number of teenagers who come by occasionally for information.

Often I'm of the impression sometimes that they don't want the information for themselves but for their friends. It's because they have been here before that they feel comfortable to come by and ask questions.

"This year's focus internationally, is on men and while the statistics show the numbers of women with AIDS increasing, we have seen an increase in the numbers of young men coming in for condoms, not in great volumes, but there are some who do come regularly and we encourage them to spread the word to their friends. But what I notice most while being (in the Allan Vincent Smith office) is people's response to the Foundation. As they pass by in the evenings, or even during the day, many people laugh at the thought of condoms being free and make all kinds of derogatory comments. And these are adults; these are sexually active adults.

The Allan Vincent Smith Foundation was established as a charity in 1992. Its mission then, as it is now, was "to support, educate and advise the people of Bermuda on AIDS and HIV and to prevent their spread through the active distribution and dissemination of materials and information to all groups deemed to be at risk''.

To achieve this, the Foundation: Offers information and builds public knowledge about AIDS and HIV. Distributes educational and awareness materials.

Arranges educational seminars to promote and assist with the prevention of AIDS and HIV. Provides guidance and strength to people with AIDS and HIV, their partners, family members and friends. Works to help people affected by AIDS and HIV lead full and satisfying lives.

"One of the things highlighted (by the Health Department report) was that STIs facilitate the transmission of HIV,'' he pointed out. "Some people don't see the co-relation between STIs and HIV and how that can facilitate transmission. A person with multiple STIs, it clearly means that they are having unprotected sex and in the same way, cannot know if their partner is HIV positive. I think people still think of HIV as a gay male disease, an intravenous drug-user's disease and therefore fail to see how their sexual activity and behaviour can relate to HIV.'' Proving Mr. Fox's point, is the fact that of the 16 persons diagnosed as being HIV positive last year, nine of those were the result of heterosexual sex, establishing that as the major risk factor. Intravenous drug use accounted for three cases and homosexual or bisexual sex for four.

"For people having multiple partners, it becomes easy for a person with gonorrhoea to pass it on to more than one person, especially if he/she haven't had any symptoms yet themselves, so they aren't aware they even have it. For some STI's there is no cure, only treatment. And, especially for young people having unprotected sex, it can seriously affect their fertility.

"We wish to remind the public that we continue to stock a variety of printed information to assist persons in making sensible lifestyle choices. Pamphlets such as, Protecting Yourself from HIV and HIV and Other STDs are among some of the titles we have in stock.....In addition, we have printed information which can help persons understand the issues surrounding the care of a loved one with HIV, and pamphlets geared specifically to women, testing and AIDS within the workplace. We want to encourage the public to call us or drop by our office, still located in Bermuda House Lane, to collect information, pick up condoms, or just to chat.'' In addition, Mr. Fox said, people can draw strength from a network of people living with HIV in Bermuda, all of whom are invited to attend the 10th International Conference for People Living with HIV and AIDS.

The conference, hosted in part by the Caribbean Regional Network for People Living with HIV and AIDS, will be held in Trinidad in October.

Approximately 600 people from around the world are expected to attend and interested persons must apply before August. Scholarships are also available, however applications must be received before June 27th.