Guardwell Security Services, Minister of Transport Dr. Ewart Brown said last night.

He said Guardwell Security Services Ltd. had been given the three-year contract to ensure the airfield at Bermuda International Airport was safe for incoming and outgoing air traffic.

And yesterday, Guardwell was advertising in The Royal Gazette for new staff to work as airport security police from June 1.

But Dr. Brown said he wanted, once and for all, to put an end to claims in the electronic media that nepotism had played a role in the awarding of the contract, and that Guardwell did not have sufficient staff to take on the job.

The Minister said there was absolutely no truth in those claims, and said the journalists who alleged nepotism had no understanding of what the word meant.

"I'm not involved in any way with any business involved in my ministry,'' said an annoyed Dr. Brown.

"Guardwell has been given the contract. The decision was taken this week. I am more than confident they can meet all the requirements.'' Dr. Brown said he did not get "riled up about much'', but said this issue, particularly the claims, had upset him.

Guardwell will take over the contract on June 1 from Island Wide Security, which has held the job for almost six years.

It will be a three-year contract, worth more than $3 million, with an option of a further two, one-year contracts by mutual agreement after that.

Dr. Brown added: "We are doing business. We selected a firm to do business.

If it means that a traditional, established business did not get it, well, that's it.

"These people (making the claims) need to get a life. This is what we mean by a new Bermuda.'' General manager of Guardwell, Roland Pearman, was not available for comment yesterday. The Royal Gazette has four times tried to establish who the directors and board members are of the security firm, but each time has hit a brick wall.

When the newspaper called Mr. Pearman, he would not give his own name, preferring just to say he was the general manager. He also refused to say who any of the board members are.

The Registrar of Companies said it did not keep the names of any directors or board members. It referred the newspaper to the company's corporate administrators at Quorum International Ltd.

When The Royal Gazette visited Quorum, the reporter was told to call the next day to make an appointment.

However, three times reporters have called Quorum and been told that they could not make an appointment.

The receptionist said she had been asked to take messages for all queries concerning Guardwell and said nobody was prepared to discuss the company at this time.

Airport contract awarded Bill Black, president of Island Wide Security, who has held the contract for airport security for the past five years, said he was upset at the way his company had been treated. He said as a result, he had given his notice to cease working at the airport after it became known that he was not likely to win the new deal, and that Guardwell was the favoured firm.

He pointed out that after working on the airport contracts for five years, he had been forced to operate in recent months on a month-to-month contract.

That had led to unrest among staff, who were unable to take leave, and had resulted in a fifth of his airport team resigning.

He said: "We could not continue any longer on a month-to-month contract. It is difficult for people to work like that and they were unhappy.

"We have a good bunch of staff and they have done an excellent job. It is an important job. We have some very dedicated people, but there is only so much you can expect of them. We had been working like this for too long.

"I gave notice. We will be working until the end of May. We just couldn't continue the way we were.'' Acting airport general manager Lester Nelson paid tribute to the staff at Island Wide Security last night and said they had done a good job, staying on longer than the maximum five years.

He said: "Island Wide had the contract for longer than the maximum period.

Obviously, they were doing a good job.

"As they stayed on longer, they were able to extend to us their services to enable a smooth, proper transition.

"We have considered them to be professional, and I have advised them and the employees of that.

"Everything has been done in accordance to normal procedures. Everything is amicable.''