While he was ?encouraged? that Government and Police had reached an agreement on pay issues, Shadow Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Maxwell Burgess said more needed to be done to address the manpower shortage handicapping Bermuda?s Police force.

Speaking during the motion to adjourn in the House of Assembly on Friday night, Mr. Burgess said he was pleased there had been an agreement on pay issues from 2001. However, he said, it was now 2003 and more needed to be done.

Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Randy Horton then rose and pointed out the settlement between Police and Government actually carried up to 2005, and told Mr. Burgess he was ?out of the loop?.

?I?m encouraged,? replied Mr. Burgess. ?Yes, I?m out of the loop,? he added, to laughter from MPs. ?That?s one of the detriments of being the Opposition and that?s why I don?t like it.?

However there were further issues with Police besides pay, Mr. Burgess said, specifically a shortage of manpower, and a need for new Police stations to be technologically up to date.

?We need to make sure what they need is available to them. Police know they are stretched, and have been screaming for help for a long time.?

When the public believes there is no point in reporting a crime as Police are too busy to respond, ?you have an undermining of your society. It?s the beginning of the end. That?s where we?re risking going.?

Law enforcement officials and those in the courts and appeals systems do ?a sterling job? despite the challenges, he said. ?But people are being stretched and rehabilitation is at risk.?