Yesterday marked an important milestone for two men as they were the first participants of the Bermuda Drug Treatment Court Programme to be recognised for being drug-free for at least one year.

The two men, who will not be identified for confidentiality reasons, were acknowledged during a Transitional ceremony at Supreme Court No.4.

The Drug Court programme is a major component of the Alternatives to Incarceration initiative. Its mission is to reduce the abuse of drugs and related criminal activity by supervising offenders who abuse substances in a closely monitored treatment system. Currently there are 18 men participating in Drug Court. Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves, who presides over the Drug Court said he hoped there will soon be a treatment facility available to women.

“Two of the three women who participated in Drug Court withdrew because they were waiting. We are hoping that that will be remedied in the near future,” he said.

Mr. Greaves also pointed out while both men had not been using drugs for well over a year, reaching stage five of the programme was not always an easy hurdle.

“Some may wonder why we have taken so long to transition these two men, but our policy has been one based on quality rather than quantity.

“It's a five-phase programme. We have had people who reached to phase four, but are not ready for phase five.”

And while Mr. Greaves said there were several ways in which one could measure the success of the programme, he noted no participant of the Drug Court had been convicted of any crimes while actively involved in the programme.

“And none were terminated because they committed any criminal offences,” he said. “If it can be shown that we have been able to reduce crime - then that must be considered a success.”

One of the men, a 35-year-old St. George's resident, was commended by Mr. Greaves for what he had accomplished.

Before entering the programme in June 2001, the man faced a lengthy jail sentence for committing several acts of fraud.

“He is perhaps a man with the least words during this entire programme,” said Mr. Greaves. “But the court has always had the impression that he was a decent man.”

Mr. Greaves told the man: “Only when you were absolutely sure that you were ready did we pass you on to that phase.”

When he addressed the audience, which included Health Minister Nelson Bascome, the man said: “I want to thank everybody for their support but most of all to the man above.”

A 34-year-old Southampton man was also recognised for reaching stage five of the programme.

Before the man accepted his certificate Crown counsel Juan Wolffe said when the man first entered Drug Court in September 2001, the Department of Public Prosecutions were concerned he would continue with his criminal activities.

“We even asked for him to be removed from the programme,” he said. “We are pleased that since he entered, our fears were not realised.”

The man, who became legally blind last October, said while it was difficult in the beginning to stay clean, staying away from drugs became easier once he put his mind to it.

“People now give me their money and ask me to run messages for them. It's nice that they trust me. Staying clean is not bad. I am thankful for this programme. When I made mistakes they were going to lock me up. They didn't have to give me a chance,” he said.