spot for Police officers based in St. George's.

Freddies Restaurant and Pub owner Allan Powell responded to an article in The Royal Gazette where an officer complaining about low morale in the Eastern Division of the Bermuda Police Service, claimed: "Not a night goes by when there isn't a problem at Freddies..'' Mr. Powell stressed that his establishment operated independently of problems that occurred in King's Square.

"We are considered a landmark in St. George's and Freddies is a very busy restaurant,'' he said.

"The problems that happen do not occur on a daily basis and, if they do happen, they are not caused by people who are regular patrons of Freddies.'' Mr. Powell refuted the officer's claims that St. George's Police officers did not respond to incidents because of a manpower shortage and said he had confidence in those officers.

"I have not noticed a morale problem,'' he said. "The Police have been very cooperative in moving people away from the Square when there might be problems. The Police do not have a problem with us.'' Mr. Powell said the scheduled addition of 45 new officers to the Service's ranks would prove an asset to it and added that he hoped to see some of the new faces in the East End.

While there were some troubles in St. George's, he continued, the Police were trying to serve and protect the area.

"The Police are working with their arms tied with what they can and cannot do,'' he said. "I'm sure the Police department is trying to do the best they can, but there is a social problem that is going on in the Square.

"There needs to be stiffer laws and penalties to combat the people we have allowed to live on the street.'' Mr. Powell said he could sympathise with the East End Police officers' alleged poor working environment, but noted it was the individual's choice to either stay in the job or leave.

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