to name Mr. Nelson Bascome as their Shadow Minister for Health, Social Services and Housing, it probably was. For this 36-year old member for Pembroke East is a highly qualified counsellor whose professional life is spent handling 75 percent of the case work of Benedict Associates' Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

Asked to sum up the main problem that walks through his busy office, he is quick to answer. "Bermuda's lifestyle'' -- a combination of the cost of living, pressures to meet financial deadlines, all of which affect relationships.

"Unfortunately, people turn to alcohol and drugs for `the quick fix' to fix their feelings. We have to address the problem behind the drugs and I believe that as long as we continue to hide behind the pretence that everything is all right in Bermuda, without some drastic social changes taking place, we are going to continue to have these problems.'' Most of his case work is one-to-one counselling, which he believes is most effective, especially for teenagers. He also conducts orientation sessions for prospective and new companies, and explains the services available to new employees. Benedict Associates, whose managing director Mr. Vaughn Mosher is the regional chairman of the International Employees Assistance Programme Association, has about 30 companies on its books.

Brought up in a politically oriented family (his father was a founding member of the PLP), Mr. Bascome became a member of the youth wing, but never considered social work as a career.

"I left Bermuda to become a dentist. I started off as a dental technician and went back to qualify in dentistry, but all the science, dissecting animals, blood and stuff really got to me!'' He had already become involved in social work through a college service fraternity and his first practical experience was working with juveniles in Baltimore. "We're talking about hard-core problems, kids on drugs at 12 years old. It was at that time that I fell in love with social work.'' He obtained his Bachelor's degree in this subject from Morgan State University in Baltimore and then combined three Masters degrees, two with Websters University in human resource management and human relations. He completed his Masters from Indiana University in counselling in 1985.

On returning to Bermuda, Mr. Bascome worked with the homeless through the Bermuda Housing Corporation and then spent several years with Social Services.

His decision to enter politics and his subsequent election as the member for Pembroke East in 1989 meant that he had to leave Government employment. So, 10 years on, Mr. Bascome was looking around for another job.

He is visibly amused by the recollection of where that search led him. "I met this insurance guy who said that if I could win that many votes in an election, I should be able to persuade anyone to buy insurance. It was the worst four months of my life! I'm definitely not an insurance man ...'' It was then that he joined Benedict Associates, which offers EAP to companies throughout the Island. This was a different field for Mr. Bascome and, at the time, was a relatively new concept for Bermuda.

Under this scheme, organisations and companies engage the services of a counselling firm who are then available to assist employees on a wide range of personal problems that may affect their work performance, such as drug or alcohol abuse, financial, health, or even human relationship problems. In cases where an employee's problems may affect work performance, that person may be directed to EAP, but in most cases, once people know the service is available, they will seek help themselves. Mr. Bascome emphasises that the service is totally confidential.

He obtained his Certified Employee Assistance Professional qualifications -- currently the only Bermudian to obtain this qualification. Noting that Dr.

David Archibald, architect and advisor on Bermuda's National Drug Strategy, has recommended the scheme for all employees in Bermuda, Mr. Bascome says that while the programme has "taken off'' in the business sector, there has been little headway in introducing it on the shop floor.

"Because of my political affiliation, I did suffer some economic reprisals from some noted figures who say they are for equality,'' he says.

"Since I've been with Benedict, it has helped, because many of the companies we work with are `conservative.' And once the barriers were broken down, I think I've gained the respect of several of these business people.'' Educated at Prospect Primary, Whitney Institute and the Bermuda College, Mr.

Bascome credits his mother, well-known teacher Mrs. Gloria Bascome, as "the pillar of my education.'' He recalls that the only time he ever saw her angry "outside the home'' was when a high school teacher told her that young Nelson "wasn't ready'' to take his `O' Level in English Literature.

"She demanded to know why she hadn't been told about it earlier and she decided there and then that I would take the exam, whatever the school said.

So she made me study every day and I ended up being the only one in school to pass in that subject.'' His love of music was encouraged by Ms Marjorie Gladwyn, whom he refers to as "another tower of strength.'' She gave him private lessons on the violin and he remembers with some amusement: "She was a white lady who taught on Court Street in a room next to where the Black Beret Cadre used to meet!'' For someone who seems to be at the mercy of a never-ending stream of callers who turn to him for help at the most unsocial of hours, Mr. Bascome has an impressive list of hobbies that include playing in defence for the Devonshire Colts soccer team, golf, sailing and bowling.

"But my best hobby is coaching the Devonshire Colts Mini Minors, for the under-12s,'' he explains.

He also finds time to teach drums at the Pembroke Community Club (he used to march with the Morgan State Band) and is in the midst of rehearsing for the May 24 Heritage Day parade.

Home for Nelson Bascome is still Friswell's Hill, where he has lived all his life and now shares with his wife Shirlene and son Nelson III ("another musician'') and six-year-old daughter Shirnae.

Asked his opinion on the most urgent problems confronting his Shadow Ministry, he answers: "I have a severe problem with developing a huge new prison when the Archibald Report advises that we should be moving away from incarceration and criminalisation of people with drug problems. We need a rehabilitation centre. As it is, a lot of our young people have to wake up and realise that there is a very unpleasant place waiting for them -- Casemates.'' NELSON BASCOME -- `We have to address the problem behind the drugs'.