hands of Governor Thorold Masefield by Monday, it was revealed yesterday.

But Government House Registrar Paul Dryden was unable to say when the Governor would release the report -- which is likely to be critical of the operations of the Narcotics Squad.

He said: "The report is on the Island -- we expect it to be at Government House on Monday.

"The Governor will review it, it will be passed to a few Ministers, then I'm sure there will be a decision to release it.

"I couldn't say when it will be released -- but I think it will be sooner rather than later. Without having seen it, however, we wouldn't be able to say exactly when.'' The report -- the work of a three-man Commission of Inquiry headed by ex-Bermuda Court of Appeal judge Telford Georges -- heard nearly a week of evidence in August.

The probe was ordered by Mr. Masefield in the wake of allegations by ex-drugs squad detectives Lendrea Davis.

She claimed she had come under pressure to alter her notes following the arrest of Ellsworth Wilson, Mount Hill, Pembroke, in February.

And the Commission heared evidence that alleged drugs exhibits seized from Mr.

Wilson's Toyota Land Cruiser had not been tagged or logged before being placed in a lock-up overnight.

The lack of continuity in the evidence led Puisne Judge Norma Wade in June to order a jury to return formal not guilty charges on drugs charges brought against Mr. Wilson. The Commission's brief was to examine procedures in the drugs squad, particularly the controversy surrounding the Wilson case, and make recommendations arising from the evidence presented to it.

Based on the summing-up by Commission counsel Kim White, the report is likely to be highly critical of what was called "a chain of failure'' in management and supervision of front-line drugs squad officers.

Telford Georges