Linux (Debian Woody), psql: Can't delete or create databases

Hi.
I'm having some serious trouble with Postgres on Debian Linux (3.0 aka
Woody), and hope somebody can help.

The PostgreSQL DB Server I'm running is the default that comes with
Debian Linux 3.0. From the Information the APT packaging tool can
provide the version number is something between 7.0 and 7.2.
The postgresql-client (whatever that is..'psql'?) is the version
7.1.1-4 and everything else seems to group around this version
number.

Anyway, I've installed postgres and it seem to be running smooth. I
can log onto the db-server (do you say that that way? 'log onto the
db-server'?) using psql (client?, cli frontend?) and it seems
coherent the way it manages user rights, as it won't let me log on in
all scenarios, only in those where /etc/postgresql/pg_hba.conf would
let me.

Along the line of setting up postgres I was able to create a db
'elefant-data'. \l on psql outputs this:
>>>
template1-# \l
List of databases
Name | Owner | Encoding
--------------+----------+----------
elefant-data | postgres | LATIN9
template0 | postgres | LATIN9
template1 | postgres | LATIN9
(3 rows)
<<<

I was postive that I'd created elefant-data as user 'phillip', but
that's a different story. From what I understand, it's a PIA to
change useres for db's once they're created. Is that right?

Along witth the installation I installed the standard Debian Woody
Linux 'jdbc' drivers and, after no effect, the odbc drivers.

Whatever I do it seems absolutely impossible to connect to the db via
jdbc or odbc, no matter how. I've done all configuration possible
with ODBCconfig - no light so far.
But then this:
I figured it's a user problem, so I thought it might be a good idea to
drop my test-db elefant-data, and try to create a new one, this time
making shure it'd be with the user it was intendend for - phillip.

It was then that I found out that I couldn't either create a new or
drop an existing database, no matter which user was logged in via
psql.

Where could this problem lie? Is my enviroment totally borked up and
would you recommend a reinstall or should I look somewhere for the
problem. And where would that be?

This has been going on for days, I by know though it would be the
right thing to ask this question in this ML.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Phillip