Questions have been raised over the difficulty that some Portuguese drivers have in obtaining licences because the theory test is not available in their language.

Robert Pires, a spokesperson for the Portuguese community, said he'd like to know if it would be possible to provide the multiple-choice exam bilingually as with other Government materials.

"We don't expect any Portuguese to get special treatment but there's been a long connection with Portugal and although no one is willing to acknowledge it, it's the second language," he said.

His comments came in the aftermath of the case of Karen Oliveira, a Government worker who took bribes to grant Portuguese drivers their licences without passing the theory test.

The 40-year-old former Reserve Policewoman pleaded guilty to corruption in relation to her job at the Transport Control Department (TCD) during a court appearance on Monday and was handed a conditional discharge. The Magistrate heard she took envelopes full of cash to grant Portuguese drivers their licences when they did not pass the multiple-choice test due to not speaking English.

According to her defence lawyer, Kim White, TCD used to offer the theory test in Portuguese, but that has now been withdrawn. Prosecutor Cindy Clarke said drivers must now demonstrate some proficiency in English, but Mr. White pointed out: "Being able to speak it doesn't extend to reading. There are people who don't read English living in Bermuda."

The Oliveira case echoed a previous scam at TCD involving Portuguese drivers that came before the Supreme Court three years ago. On that occasion, TCD clerk Kishi Trott licensed ten unqualified drivers including several men who failed the written tests repeatedly in exchange for a total of $3,525 cash. Trott pleaded guilty to the five counts of "official corruption" and was jailed for a year.

Commenting in the aftermath of the latest case Mr. Pires said: "The first thing is, I don't think anyone would agree that it's appropriate for anybody to accept bribes and the defendant has acknowledged that.

"The second thing I raise as a question because I don't have an opinion on it. Most Government materials are done bilingually in Portuguese and English. Would it be a problem to have part of the driving test in Portuguese?

"Certainly they have to understand what is written on the road signs to the extent that anything is written but someone's ability to drive safely is not mutually exclusive to them being able to speak English. Most of them can speak English but can't read the information on the exam well enough to pass a test."

Mr. Pires, chief executive officer at Bermuda Investment Advisory Services added: "Portuguese are known as hardworking and reliable people and the community, for 150 years, has been very keen to have them as workers. If we had given people language tests before they came to Bermuda, we would not have that thriving hardworking community."

Penny Fowkes, who works as a Portuguese translator and also runs the Twice-Told Tales bookshop said she knew of one person who tried passing the theory test for several years before succumbing to buying his way through. She also has a theory about why the test may no longer be offered in Portuguese.

"In Bermuda now there are people of many more nationalities than there were in the past when there was just Portuguese. It was easier then to provide them with that service. Now there are people who speak many languages here I imagine that's a dilemma for the TCD people. It's all or nothing. That's my personal feeling about that," she told The Royal Gazette.

A statement on the topic from the Ministry of Transport said last night: "The Motor Car (Driver's Licences) Regulations 1952 states that all applicants for a licence must prove satisfactorily that the applicant understands the English language and can read and write English. The Transport Control Department (TCD) does its best to assist those individuals that can speak English but may not be able to read well."

TCD Director Randy Rochester said: "There are no plans at this time to re-instate the Portuguese language written test as this would be in contravention of the regulations."

In order to obtain a Bermuda driver's licence a person must pass a medical and sit a multiple-choice exam at TCD designed to test their knowledge of the rules of the road, local signage, and speed limits. If successful, the candidate is given a learner's permit and they must then pass the practical driving examination.

According to the last census in the year 2000, ten percent of Bermuda's population a total of 1,750 people was born in the Azores or Portugal. A further nine percent, or 5,499 people, cited Portuguese ancestry, although Mr. Pires says many more Bermudians than that have family links.