UBP BEGINS DRUG TESTING LEGISLATORS

Random drug testing has started for United Bermuda Party (UBP) legislators,
the Opposition party announced yesterday.

And the first to be tested, Michael Dunkley, has come up negative. "We were
a little worried about the quantity of milk he drinks, but otherwise, it
seems that community has nothing to fear from Mr. Dunkley," quipped Shadow
Public Safety Minister Patricia Pamplin Gordon.

UBP Parliamentarians and Senators will be called in for a test at
counselling services Benedict Associates twice a year.

The party will be notified of positive results. "If a Parliamentarian does
not comply with the request to supply a sample, the party will again be
notified so that action can be taken - the member will be referred to a
review committee," Ms Pamplin Gordon said.

"We have zero tolerance for drugs in the United Bermuda Party." The
initiative goes back to former Premier Pamela Gordon's stalled 1999 House
motion to have all parliamentarians undergo random drug testing.

"Although we have since asked Government members again to join in, they have
never been prepared to agree."

She said that UBP Parliamentarians wanted to lead by example, were prepared
to lead by experience and demonstrate their "utter repudiation of everything
and everyone involved in the drug business".

She called on the ruling party to join in. "We believe people have a right
to expect their parliamentary representatives to put their money where their
mouths are. If they don't, then people will draw their own conclusions about
what that might mean."

Party leader Grant Gibbons said a positive test result would be serious
enough to warrant expulsion.

"We've decided that we'll be drug free so we don't anticipate anybody
testing positive." It will be left to the individual MP to explain matters
to the public if anyone does test positive for illicit drugs."

The zero tolerance policy will not lead to a shortage of potential
candidates, he said when asked. And the party will not necessarily turn away
recovering addicts. "We'll have to consider that. It's certainly a step in
the right direction," Dr. Gibbons said.

"The bottom line here is if somebody is a Senator or an MP they should be
drug free."