surface of Bermuda's problems, Opposition leader Mr. Frederick Wade said yesterday.

"It can't hurt, but I can't get too excited about it,'' he told The Royal Gazette .

Mr. Wade said the seven-member team, chaired by Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons England and Wales, Judge Stephen Tumim, was inadequate to meet Bermuda's needs.

It should have contained a psychologist, psychiatrist, and sociologist, he added.

Mr. Wade also said a month was too short a period to carry out a comprehensive inquiry.

"We really need to set up a proper commission to conduct an in depth review, with sufficient personnel.'' He added: "This is just another of a long succession of studies carried out every decade. All of them are full of recommendations, and end up gathering dust and mildew, and nothing gets done.'' The latest study was announced on Thursday by Acting Social Services Minister the Hon. Michael Winfield.

Bermuda is thought to be the first country ever to undertake such a wide-ranging review of its criminal justice system.

It will focus on: The primary legislation which affects prisons; Policies and procedures, and possible alternative sentencing; The perception people of different races and backgrounds are treated differently; and How to change emphasis from custody to correction.

Sen. Winfield said Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan would probably be handed a final report by the end of September.

Yesterday Mr. Wade, leader of the Progressive Labour Party, was lukewarm about the study.

"I don't think the Government have thought it through thoroughly enough. This is likely to provide a bit of patchwork, but it won't be comprehensive enough.'' Mr. Wade, spotlighting his own concerns, criticised Government for failing to act on previous reports.

Bermudianising the Police force, for example, had been recommended in 1968, he said.

"Absolutely nothing has been done about it. The Police force should be in the hands of Bermudians, but it is run from Whitehall in England.

"The Premier and the Cabinet are not in charge of it. They have to consult the Deputy Governor.'' Mr. Wade said "Bermudianisation'' was important in lessening tensions between Police and the community. Non-Bermudian Police officers tended to inflame incidents, he claimed.

Mr. Wade also rapped Government for not allocating sufficient funds or manpower for the supervision of community service orders.

"There is just one social worker responsible who doesn't even have a car,'' he said.

"This shows that even when Government does take a certain course it doesn't do so properly.'' Mr. Wade went on to press for reform to the Criminal Code and the Road Traffic Act.

Too many people were being criminalised through traffic offences -- often their first contact with the courts, he said.