The leaders of controversial charity drug fundraiser the Council Partners Charitable Trust (CPCT) are to step down.

But both Executive Director Gordon Johnson and board chairman Henry Smith deny they are going after being publicly slammed by Health Minister Nelson Bascome.

Insiders have spoken of a power struggle between the CPCT and the National Drug Commission - which is also currently without a chairman and CEO - over who controls Bermuda's drug policy.

Last night Shadow Health Spokesman Michael Dunkley said the situation was alarming when so many people were bailing out.

"There is a real void in some very important positions," he said.

Mr. Johnson and Mr. Smith spoke to The Royal Gazette last night but denied the CPCT wants to take over running the Island's drug policy from the NDC, despite its problems.

Independent reviews sanctioned by the NDC highlighted a crisis throughout Bermuda's drug treatment system with inexperienced staff, inadequate and outdated treatment and a lack of research, communication and leadership.

And a report commissioned by the CPCT suggested it sever ties with the NDC or even take over from the NDC.

However the group, which raises 20 percent of the $5 million spent on drug treatment annually, instead wants to merge with the NDC into a new body to direct the Island's drug system which Mr. Smith said was in "chaos".

In the meantime the CPCT says it is considering using its cash in other ways after pulling out of funding Focus counselling services while both women's rehab centre Fair Havens and the The Centre for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention are both in limbo.

Mr. Smith denied the CPCT had ever planned to usurp the NCD.

He said: "In the long run we aim to have a single agency, some sort of national coalition that would help advise and drive and enhance this system. We want to be part of that."

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He defended the CPCT against those who said cutting money from agencies such as Focus because of poor performance had been too hasty and hadn't given them the chance to change.

Mr. Smith said: "I think it acted as a catalysts to re-examine themselves. I think they have shown some positive change."

Board members on those agencies had backed the CPCT's hard-line stance claimed Mr. Smith.

He said Mr. Bascome had been wrong to blame the CPCT for the crisis at Fair Havens by claiming the CPCT governed the organisations it funded.

"The Minister made a statement and we corrected him," he said.

"We are now looking at funding individuals directly so if someone clearly has a need for treatment we could fund that treatment. They could go abroad or to a private operation here.

"We want to make sure the system doesn't come to a halt and people are getting care and we are putting our money to use while we are trying to help build the system."

He said a lot of work had been put in by NDC and CPCT volunteers on cooperation.

But he added: "That's definitely been put back by recent events. We still don't know who is the new NDC chairman."

He said the lack of key staff in the NDC was hampering reform. Researcher Julie Dunstan left in December 2001, Prevention officer Cal Ming left in January 2002, Treatment co-ordinator John Scott left in March 2002 and CEO Wineger left August 2002. None have been replaced.

"The whole community is alarmed," said Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith said the draft National Drug Plan leaked last week was a start to solving the crisis but there needed to be recognition of how deep the problems were as highlighted by the Butler report, produced by the NDC.

"We now need to get into specifics. We don't want to spend too much time defending our positions. We can't say everything is OK because it is not.

"The system is not whole. By definition it's in chaos. There is no system."

He said the Addiction Certification board was acting on its own, while attaching the Bermuda Assessment Referral Agency, which should be at the hub of the system, to the Drug Court was wrong.

"It focuses on a segment of the population, not the whole."

He named duplication, confusion and waste as common in the Island's drug policy.

Mr. Smith said no-one had been interviewed yet for the post of Executive Director to replace Mr Johnson yet but he denied the change in leadership would spark further panic.

He said: "Everyone I have spoken to is not alarmed by individual leaders changing positions.

"Gordon tendered his resignation in early December but I asked him to stay on because we are so close to making something happen with the NDC. We really could not do that without Gordon Johnson.

"He stayed on but he still wants to step down as Executive Director but will stay until someone replaces him.

"Unfortunately some people will read whatever they want into this.

"I will step down as Chairman in March. Deputy Chairman Gary Madeiros will take over but I will stay on the board. Three years is long enough."

Mr. Johnson said: "After ten years I really feel it's time for me to look at other opportunities.

He said he did not have anything lined up. "I am really moving from faith."

There is also a question mark over the future of CPCT Development Director Austin Warner who is mulling his future although Mr. Smith said Mr. Warner was a key part of the CPCT.

He added: "A decision has not been made. Anyone involved in the system with the CPCT or NDC has to be asking where do I fit in?

"If I could have picked a time to go it would not have been this with the unfortunate publicity in the newspapers and the system in disarray. We want a cohesive system."

Mr. Smith said he regretted the public row over drugs policy although and said he was trying to build dialogue with the NDC and Government.

"We are a small island and if you are able to create an effective system anywhere in the world you ought to be able to do it here."

For the Opposition Mr. Dunkley said: "I am very concerned about the situation but where is the Minister?

"This is a typical Bermuda syndrome, we're in a state of denial. The Minister blames the CPCT for everything. I thought it was misleading."

He said NDC chairman Malcolm Butterfield had been axed three weeks ago but Mr. Bascome still hadn't named his successor.

"The NDC has hardly any staff. If I was the Minister I would be very disturbed. People who are looking for treatment are not being well served. You have to wonder whether the Minister is paying attention."

Mr. Dunkley also called for the total shut down of Bermuda's drug treatment agencies while the Island hammers out huge problems in the system.

He said: "I would take a long hard look and close down the system for a while and use the money to send people away for treatment.

"At this point we can't do any service by sending clients to rehab systems. The whole system is in chaos. We are pouring money down the drain.

"With the number of people going through the system we could send them away and still have money left over.

"I don't think the Minister knows the details of the success rate here. It's a waste of tax payers' money. People need help."