Child killer Chesterfield Johnson is being put through a rehabilitation programme before being allowed out of prison, it emerged last night.

And Home Affairs Minister Maxwell Burgess promised the murderer would be strictly monitored when he was finally freed from a 20-year sentence on December 19.

Mr. Burgess said authorities would do everything in their power to stop the 46-year-old from re-offending.

He was sentenced to death for raping and killing 11-year-old Connie Furtado in February, 1978.

Connie, a Paget Primary pupil, had been strangled with her own school tie.

Johnson, now 46, broke his parole in October, 1991 when he was caught having sex with a prostitute when he should have been at a drugs counselling session.

Now news of his release has sparked fears from child welfare groups that he could strike again unless he was monitored every day.

Shadow Social Services Minister Renee Webb also said Government should already have opened a halfway house for sex offenders in transition from prison.

A halfway house has been identified in Dockyard for prisoners seeking release.

But Mr. Burgess said asbestos had to be cleared before the building could be used.

He added a rehabilitation programme was already in place for Johnson, saying: "His was a heinous crime. I am a father with a daughter. That is all you need to understand.'' The Minister said he "could not and would not'' interfere with the laws of the land when considering Johnson's case, adding: "But I also understand the fear of the community and of a man who has served 20 years and must now step outside prison.'' Mr. Burgess added that a meeting with Prisons Commissioner Edward Dyer revealed two rehabilitation programmes had been started for Johnson.

His day-release scheme in 1991 was cancelled, with Johnson losing six years and four months in remission time.

But a second project is now being run in conjunction with "a family member'', said Mr. Burgess, adding he hoped a job offer and resettlement in the community could be in place before Johnson left prison.

Johnson monitored But he said plans for a halfway house for sex offenders were still not ready to be implemented.

And he accused Ms Webb of trying "to scare people'' by using a human tragedy for political gain.

"If you go that way then you are doing what Renee Webb did yesterday,'' he added. "Or you take responsibility to find a solution. You do the right thing, you have to do what is right for the right reasons -- that is my way.'' Ms Webb had said Government promised the halfway house before the last election in October, 1993.

She added: "This sad state of affairs is causing grave public concern.

"We need to be certain that every effort is being made so that Mr. Johnson does not commit another heinous crime against a child.

"The public needs to be confident that every effort is being taken to ensure that Mr. Johnson is adequately housed and monitored.

"While it is true that Mr. Johnson has attended programmes to rehabilitate him while in prison, the success rate for sex offenders is not highly successful without assistance, ongoing psychological counselling and monitoring upon release.'' She said Government had "failed the people of Bermuda'', Johnson himself and other prisoners who do not want to reoffend.

Connie Furtardo Graphic file name: CON1 MURDER MUR