mission.

Rev. Harlyn Purdy, pastor of the West Pembroke Church of Pentecostal Assembly, has dipped into his own pocket for the six-week trip.

A trained paramedic, he will provide treatment and immunisation at leper colonies, as well as food for the starving.

Rev. Purdy, also president of the Christian Ministerial Association, will work with three relief groups.

And in southern Sudan he will take part in leadership training with other pastors.

The prospect of visiting war-ravaged Somalia appeared no deterrent to Rev.

Purdy before he left on Tuesday.

One of the groups he will work with is Samaritan Purse, through which he plans to visit lepers.

THIEVES STEAL BOAT SAFETY EQUIPMENT CRM Thieves grabbed emergency gear from a boat -- to comply with Government's new marine laws.

They snatched three flares, an anchor, and some mooring ropes from the Cleopatra moored at Church Bay, St. David's.

Police say the raiders wanted to meet new water safety regulations.

Anyone who can help should call P.c. Irvin Hendrickson at the Eastern Marine Section.

Police are also anxious for information about the theft of two gas tanks from a boat, Remackmic , in Tucker's Town Bay this week.

WOMAN FIGHTS OFF HAND BAG SNATCHER CRM A woman's struggle with a thief ended with him running off with her handbag.

The 37-year-old Paget woman was walking along Rosemont Avenue early on Friday evening when a man on a motorcycle drove up alongside and grabbed her shoulder bag. She pushed him to the ground, pursued him as he fled toward Ferrars Lane, but he escaped with the bag.

Police on Monday also reported that a taxi driver lost a $20 fare when he picked up a couple on Court Street on Sunday morning.

The woman was dropped off on Happy Valley Road and the man was let out on Crawl Hill. He paid the driver three dollars, but never returned with the rest of the fare as promised.

Anyone who can help Police should contact P.c. Fred Smith on 295-0011.

MAN FIMED $200 FOR COCAINE CTS A Sandys man was fined $200 in Magistrates' Court this week for possessing 0.12 grams of cocaine.

Charles H. Eberly, 20, pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled drug.

Prosecuting, Insp. Peter Duffy told the court that on March 17 Police were on patrol on Elliott Street in Pembroke. He said the officers saw Eberly walking from an alley-way.

"When they called him to come to the car Eberly dropped something white from his left hand,'' added Insp. Duffy.

GAS PRICES DROP EGY Motorists will pay less at the pumps from today, Government has announced.

The cost of gasoline and diesel has gone down by 1.4 cents a litre, and that of kerosene by 1.5 cents a litre.

CAR FIRE PROBED FIR Car fire probed Police and fire experts and probing a blaze which wrecked a car in the early hours in Hamilton Parish yesterday.

Eleven fire-fighters went to the scene off Judkin Lane at about 2.15 a.m. to find the Daihatsu well ablaze.

The fire was brought under control by about 2.50 a.m., but the vehicle was a write-off.

FLARE WARNING RAO Flare warning Marine Police and air traffic controllers were alerted when pranksters twice set off distress flares in the Spanish Point area over the weekend.

Flares were spotted on Friday evening and the early hours of Saturday.

A Harbour Radio spokesman said the area was scoured, but nothing found. He added pranksters had been blamed for the false alarms.