address problems in the force before a review is finished at the end of the year.

Shadow Home Affairs Minister Michael Dunkley said: "I was told during the Budget debate that the core functions review would be ready by the end of March. But -- if we're now going to have to wait until the end of the year -- a lot of the problems we face aren't going to be addressed until next year.'' Mr. Dunkley said "six or seven months'' was long enough to draw up a report on the force -- especially when there had been a major review of policing in Bermuda carried out in 1995 by then-Commissioner Colin Coxall.

He was speaking after sparks last week flew in a House of Assembly debate on how to better provide community policing.

He claimed: "The PLP has dismantled a lot of steps towards community policing. There are no parish constables anymore because of manpower shortages.

"Some have said this was dismantled under the UBP Government -- but that's not true. It's only been in the last couple of months and these 24 parish constables were an integral part of community policing.''