The Finance Minister said reform of the criminal justice system ranked high on Government's priorities.

And so the budget for the Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety had been increased by $6.8 million, to $85.4 million in 2003/04 - a nine percent rise.

The increased funding, for Government's third largest spender, includes provision for more officers in the Financial Investigation Unit as Bermuda increases its capacity to combat financial crime.

Home Affairs Minister Terry Lister said: "We are trying to increase our ability to deal with commercial crime and money laundering to make sure Bermuda is not open for people engaged in illegal fiscal activities."

He said nations across the world were upgrading efforts against commercial crime and Bermuda, as a financial centre, had to be especially careful it didn't become a haven for suspect money.

Mr.. Cox said there has been tremendous student interest in Government's Summer Employment Programme so an additional $100,000 has been provided so that the Labour Department can accommodate the interest of Bermuda's young people.

The National Training Board has also been given an additional $650,000 to launch the National Certification Programme for technical occupations.

Mr. Lister said the NTB was currently run by a staff of two but this would likely increase to four or five within the next year as Government brought in new standards to measure workmen's skills.

Mr. Cox said: "With this programme, Bermuda's technical service workers will be on par with their counterparts in major industrial countries."

The Department of Corrections also gets additional funding in this year's Budget with extra attention being given to case planning.

Mr Lister said: "This is vital."

Prisoners will be fully assessed to judge which educational and vocational areas need to be worked on so they are able to contribute to society when they are released.

Mr. Lister said: "Before it was just physical, to see what drug or alcohol problems they might have."

Non-violent control and restraint techniques will also be upgraded according to Mr. Cox's statement. This will involve modernising riot control equipment said Mr. Lister.

Renewed attention will be given to drug treatment for addicted inmates with mental illnesses.

Mr. Lister said at any one time there were between 20 and 25 prisoners at Westgate suffering with mental problems.

"St. Brendan's is not physically equipped to deal with these men." So instead treatment would be upgraded in Westgate said Mr. Lister.

An additional $578,000 has been given to the Bermuda Fire Service for the hiring of Emergency Dispatchers to answer all 911 emergency medical and fire calls.

This funding will allow the Fire Service personnel currently manning the Control Room to return to emergency operational duties.

Chief Fire Officer Vincent Hollinsid said 12 new civilian staff would be taken on and trained to man the phones leading to a total force of 118.

"I think it's a step in the right direction. It will free up a number of fire fighters doing the job at the moment," said Mr. Hollinsid.

He said fire fighters would welcome the chance to get back into the thick of the action.

He said most calls were for medical emergencies.

"They will provide precise instructions to callers to assist the persons who is sick before the ambulance or fire engine arrives," said Mr. Hollinsid.

"If someone reports a heart attack they will teach you over the phone how to do CPR, how to save a life.

"We have had situations where CPR instructions have been given over the phone and have sustained a life."

He said the HQ had around 6,000 medical calls a year while only 1,100 to 1,200 calls were for fires or other emergencies.

However Mr. Hollinsid said they had seen an increase in calls for people who had been the victims of violent attacks.

He said: "We are seeing a fair amount of the violent type of calls where people have been assaulted or people have been injured as a result of a dispute. We take a lot of those calls.

"Fire fighters are trained to deal with that. Usually people are very, very co-operative with us, we have come to help."

Mr. Hollinsid said $355,000 would be spent on an extractor unit to remove diesel fumes from the all fire stations because engines had to be started every day.

He said: "It will filter fumes and prevent persons being contaminated."

He said this was a health and safety problem around the world. "I am pleased it is finally getting addressed."

Money has been earmarked for the Annual Conference of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP) in May 2003 which Bermuda is hosting.

In the spirit of public-private partnership, corporate sponsorship for the conference is also being sought, said Mr. Cox.