coveted hospice and AIDS reporting system -- is planning to become even more effective.

Dr. John Cann, chairman of the task force which was established in 1985, said the Government advisory group of about 25 people was trying to broaden its subcommittees to include HIV-infected persons and more members of AIDS support groups since it is the body which Government turns to when dealing with various AIDS-related issues.

And Government Information Services spokesperson for health, social services and housing, Mrs. Tina Evans-Caines said the task force was reviewing a draft of a national AIDS plan from Dr. Cann while the group's committees were recently restructured to include: a surveillance and assessment committee; an education committee which includes a representative from the Department of Education; a prevention of prenatal transmission committee; a prevention of sexual transmission committee; and a prevention of transmission through blood committee.

But she said the task force's main focus is the "reduction of the impact of HIV infection on individual groups and society.'' Explaining that the committee has some five members, including STAR executive director Mrs. Carolynn Armstrong, and representatives from the Human Rights Commission, Community and Cultural Affairs, and St. Brendan's Hospital, Mrs.

Evans-Caines said there was hope that more members would be brought in from every sector of the community.

"They're looking at the impact of AIDS on our community and our resources, dealing with discrimination, stigmatisation, human rights, family care and protection of HIV children and those of HIV parents, family counselling, guidelines on housing and family assistance and education,'' she said.

"They're also talking about financial support services, discrimination in the work place, and the need for human rights policies concerning AIDS, not only the impact on HIV persons, but also on their family and the community.'' This is also a priority for the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) which researches AIDS and related issues in Bermuda and 18 other member countries in the Caribbean and South America, she pointed out.

CAREC information officer Mr. Leslie Fitzpatrick last week visited the Island to look at how Government agencies and the media manage AIDS information and issues. He is expected to produce a report on areas in which Bermuda's AIDS services need technical assistance.

Mrs. Evans-Caines explained that the task force committees submit reports to Dr. Cann who then submits a final task force report to Health, Social Services and Housing Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness for consideration in policy making.

Mr. Edness praised the task force for its work so far, adding that it was the group which first recommended Bermuda's "first-class'' AIDS reporting system.

"They try to stay abreast of the trends concerning AIDS,'' he said. "This year they will discuss prevention and public education, and the report that will come in from the CAREC information officer.

"They are a standing task force that continuously discusses AIDS issues.'' Mrs. Evans-Caines agreed that the group is very busy year round.

"Show me a country that has a busy AIDS task force and I'll show you a country that is serious about its AIDS problem,'' she said, quoting CAREC AIDS project coordinator Ms Claudette Francis.