before budget cuts.

This was revealed yesterday by Minister of Delegated Affairs the Hon. Sir John Sharpe.

Three parish constables were re-allocated to other duties earlier this year as Police struggled with a $692,000 budget cut. This left the Force with 12 parish constables.

The number of cadets trained was also slashed from 35 to 15.

But yesterday members of all three political parties stressed the importance of parish constables in stemming the tide of rising crime.

Sir John told The Royal Gazette he hoped the three parish constables would be reinstated by the end of the year, and "when the economic picture improves they will be increased''.

And he said Police Commissioner Mr. Lennett (Lennie) Edwards was also in the process of recruiting 10 to 15 mature Bermudians, between the ages of 21 and 30, along with some of the cadets who are completing training.

"Parish constables get to know the parish,'' Sir John said. "The good and bad people talk to them and that is sure to help Police do a better job.'' Shadow Delegated Affairs Minister Mr. Stanley Morton agreed.

"Parish constables can localise a lot of problems and deal with it on a one-on-one basis,'' he said. "They can handle these problems with the greatest of ease and a greater deal of diplomacy.'' Mr. Morton said he advocated this during the Budget debate and has discussed it with Mr. Edwards.

Giving an example of how parish constables could help, he said: "When people call the Police about loud music or any excessive noise, all that is needed is a parish constable who is familiar with the area.

"They will become known to these people and therefore can deal with the complaint in a more harmonious way. And these people can be very helpful to Police.'' "Parish constables in the past were known to go to youngsters' homes if there was a problem and talk with their parents,'' Mr. Morton added.

"Central to the whole activity (of parish constables) is to eliminate distrust and develop a more harmonious relationship with the populace.

"And if you do this in the nine parishes, you can zoom in on problems with much greater haste and people will become more helpful.'' The Progressive Labour Party had advocated for a long time that parish constables and Police training should not be cut, Mr. Morton said.

And in a party statement on drugs and crime, he said: "The PLP abhors the rising crime wave in Bermuda which is due to failed UBP social policies.

"Recognising the heavy cuts in the Police budget, we would re-deploy Police manpower for better protection of people and property. We would hasten to restore the parish constable system''.

"In fact,'' Mr. Morton said, "there should be more than one parish constable in each parish.'' But, he added: "The degree to which we need them in each parish may not be the same. But I say more than one in case the other goes on vacation or is ill.'' While noting that there was no optimal number for parish constables, Sir John said the more densely populated areas would need more "because these are areas where trouble breaks out''.

National Liberal Party leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell, who stressed that his party was for "the maintenance of parish constables'', said at a recent meeting in Hamilton Parish, it was mentioned that there were two in that area -- working at different times, "and it worked well''.