FOCUS ON DRUG USE NOT LOST

So what's happened to the Mayor's Task Force on Community Safety and Harm
Reduction?

The task force came to life with much fanfare last fall at the behest of
Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray.

After a big splash in November and early January, some are wondering if the
initiative to deal with a growing street drug problem has petered out.

But Daryle Roberts, one of the driving forces behind the initiative, says
that's not true.

"We're still meeting, in fact our next meeting is April 1," said Roberts.

"We've formed four individual committees, one to deal with each aspect of
the Four Pillars (enforcement, treatment, prevention and harm reduction),
and they are part of the overall steering committee."

He apologized for the low profile the steering committee has been keeping.

"One of the things we don't have yet is a communications strategy,"
admitted Roberts.

"Everybody's been so busy and they're doing this off the side of their
desks. But you're right, the public needs to be kept informed."

At next week's meeting, Roberts said the steering committee will hear from
Dr. Donald McPherson, the author of the Four Pillars report which serves as
the blueprint for Vancouver's attempts to deal with the same issue.

"The next step is public meetings in five areas; downtown, Glenmore,
Rutland, Mission and the Westside," said Roberts. "The mayor has agreed to
host all of those."

He said the initiative has now adopted a new name, the Central Okanagan
Four Pillars Coalition. The coalition Web page can be reached by following
the Four Pillars link at www.arcok.com.