Just to prove that all calls are taken seriously and followed up, The Royal Gazette went all the way to unearth the truth behind an anonymous call yesterday morning.

An irate member of the public called the newspaper claiming to have seen the driver of the Governor's car picking up a young lady outside Chopsticks restaurant on Wednesday night.

The caller said he had been dining at Chopsticks at the time, but had seen the Governor's car outside the restaurant many times before. Adding that the driver always picked up the young cashier who works there.

The caller said the young lady shouted "I'm driving in style tonight" as she hopped in the car and drove off.

The Royal Gazette called Government Information Services to find out if there was any truth to the matter and if the driver was abusing his position by picking up passengers in the Governor's official car.

A Government spokeswoman made calls to the Governors' office and the driver was called in and given the third degree.

By the end of the day the spokeswoman reported that the driver admitted to having been at Chopsticks on the night in question, as he had been many nights before, visiting his girlfriend who worked there.

She said the driver has permission to go to dinner using the official car while the Governor attends to officials business and has permission to "kill time" before collecting the Governor and taking him home again.

On the night in question the Governor was attending an official function at City Hall.

The spokeswoman said the driver said he had never taken his girlfriend for a ride in the Governors' car.

At the end of the day it was simply the word of the irate caller versus that of the driver.

The driver has after all, the permission of the Governor to "kill time" in the Governors' car if he so wishes.

The driver of the Premier's official car, GP1, was disciplined last year for using the official government car to do his grocery shopping.

The Bermuda Regiment soldier, a relief driver, had dropped the Premier off at the Airport on December 11 and then stopped at A1 supermarket in Smith's Parish where he'd been spotted by a member of the public.

The soldier was dealt with by the Bermuda Regiment Commanding Officer, who later described the incident as an extreme case of poor judgement on the part of the driver.