Pre-teen had knife at primary school; given two day suspension

A primary school pupil has been disciplined for taking a knife into school, can reveal.

The youngster carried the weapon into West End Primary School, Sandys on June 14. It was discovered by classmates and confiscated by teachers, according to a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Education.

She said last night: ?The Ministry can confirm that a student was found to be in possession of a small knife. The Ministry understands that the object was discovered by other students and was immediately confiscated by teachers. ?The Ministry can also confirm that the child did not threaten anyone.?

The spokeswoman said that the matter had been handled internally. ?In keeping with the Ministry?s Code of Conduct, the child?s parents were contacted and the child received disciplinary action in the form of a two day suspension,? she said.

The school?s deputy head, Suzanne Smith, confirmed that an incident had taken place. She said West End principal Livingston Tuzo, who is away from school this week, would have prepared a report on what happened. She said she did not have access to the report so could not say what it contained.

Bermuda Police Service spokesman Dwayne Caines said Police were unaware of the matter.

Assault charge dropped against cop

Legal costs were awarded to a Police officer on Tuesday after a Magistrate said the charges levelled against him were unfounded and frivolous.

P.c. Robert Butterfield, 36 of Tommy Fox Road, St. George?s, pleaded not guilty on June 8, of assault, threatening words and trespassing against Kimberlee Pitcher on December 2005.

Butterfield?s trial was due to start on Tuesday, however, on the first day of proceedings Crown counsel Shakira Dill offered no evidence against him.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner was shown a letter from Ms Pitcher ? dated after Butterfield?s first court appearance ? that said she had already told Police she would not be testifying that day.

Defence lawyer Allan Doughty made an application to recover his client?s legal costs which was granted by Mr. Warner. ?It appears to the Magistrate that the charge was unfounded, frivolous or brought by improper motives,? Mr. Warner said.

Loud music causes Police advisory

Police have issued an advisory about unlawfully loud music after there were 15 reports called in to dispatchers over the weekend. It is an offence to play music that can be heard more than 100 feet away that has been reported by two or more people.

Temp. ban on bulky waste at Tynes Bay

Residents have been told not to take bulky waste and wood to Tynes Bay waste treatment site until further notice.

Government confirmed that a mechanical problem with the shearing unit was to blame for the temporary ban.

A spokeswoman recommended that all household and business tippers should hold onto wood and bulky waste until repairs at Tynes Bay have been completed. Commercial and residential rubbish will still be accepted at Tynes Bay.

Longbird Bridge closed to boats

Longbird Bridge will be closed to marine traffic until further notice due to a problem with one of the wedge mechanisms, Government said yesterday.

The closure of the bridge will not affect the movement of vehicular traffic. Government is currently working to rectify the problem and the public will be notified once it has been corrected. The Ministry apologises for any inconvenience caused.

TCD issues reminder about transfers

Fed-up motorists are getting parking tickets for their old cars ? because tardy buyers are not finalising transfers at TCD.

The problem also means that the original owners of second-hand vehicles can be stopped from buying a new car, if the model they used to drive is still registered in their name.

Several complaints have been received in recent weeks about the sale of used cars.

And TCD Director Randy Brangman said this stemmed from buyers not finalising transfer sales at his department within the required 30-day period.

He said: ?The law clearly states that it is illegal for anyone to drive a car they have bought before they do the necessary procedures at TCD.?

Now transport officials are looking at ways of strengthening the powers of traffic officers through new laws in a bid to combat the problem.

Sellers could remove the licence or registration certificates from the car window and take them to TCD, or once the sale has taken place they could remove the licence plates.

This would help keep the vehicle registry more accurate, with assessment numbers attached to the right vehicles.

National trust creates reserve in Warwick

The Bermuda National Trust (BNT) is creating a new Nature Reserve in Spice Valley.

The new Reserve, called Tivoli South is located near Stadium Lane, Warwick and work has already begun to dig a new pond, BNT said in a release.

?The marsh was the only surviving remnant of Warwick?s west marsh that once extended from the Warwick Post Office, near Khyber Pass, all the way to the area of the present Warwick Riding Stables,? the release said. ?Once finished, the pond will extend completely around the perimeter of the marsh within the Trust?s boundary.

It said the pond would create and isolate and preserved, island of natural beauty, consisting of an undisturbed central ?peaty? portion of the marsh with diverse and rare plants.

More information is available from the BNT environmental conservation officer Dorcas Roberts at dorcasbnt.bm or 236-6483, it said.