Politicians have expressed anger at reports the Police will only patrol the popular Harbour Nights tourist event if paid to do so as they are classing it as a private function.

However, the Chamber of Commerce ? which hosts Harbour Nights ? yesterday played down the controversy, saying that discussions are ongoing about the issue.

Hamilton Mayor Lawson Mapp, who is standing for re-election today, toldhe understood the event sponsors would have to foot the security bill in future due to overstretched Police resources.

?I?m very disappointed about that. We have Harbour Nights to encourage tourists and to encourage Bermudians to come and open up the shops,? he said.

The first Wednesday night session of the event ? sponsored by the Ministry of Community and Cultural Affairs and the Bank of Bermuda and hosted by the Chamber of Commerce ? kicks off next week.

Mr. Mapp said it was important to have a Police presence at the event as a ?little comfort blanket? for all involved.

Mayoral candidate Sonia Grant said: ?The Police have always been present at the event to mingle with the crowds as a reassurance to all. ?Their stance now is that their responsibility stops between Court Street and Bermudiana Road where the road is closed.

?We at the Corporation were horrified to hear this.?

Fellow candidate Jay Bluck said: ?I don?t understand how you can have hundreds of Police at the Agricultural Exhibition and refuse to have them at Harbour Nights.

?Don?t tell me there?s any difference between the two.

?They are major public events designed to enhance our tourist product. To say that they are not going to provide Policing for Harbour Nights is absolutely outrageous.? The Bermuda Sun carried a Police statement yesterday which only served to deepen the mystery over the free-to-enter Harbour Nights event as far as Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Maxwell Burgess is concerned.

?Special events in an enclosed area where a fee is accepted will be policed by Extra Duty Officers.

This policy has been in effect for years and the Corporation of Hamilton was notified last year that the policing requirements for the interior of the Harbour Nights area will be in accordance with the Special Events Policy,? said the statement.

According to the Limey in Bermuda current affairs website, this comment was originally posted on the official Police internet pages but later removed.

Questioning the stance, Mr. Burgess said: ?I walk down Front Street during Harbour Nights and no-one charges anything. What?s more, this event raises taxes which pay for the Police as well as boosting tourism.?

Chamber of Commerce executive vice-president Diane Gordon said: ?Naturally, the Chamber is extremely concerned about crime and safety in Bermuda and we have been afforded great co-operation from the Police on many events ? particularly Harbour Nights over the last 13 years.

?We are aware that there?s concern within the Police force over manpower for special events and we have met the Commissioner and his representative. Discussions have been taking place on this matter since last Tuesday. We are working with the Police on the continued effort to have Police security at Harbour Nights. We expect to have the Police on May 3 as we always have had.?

Quizzed on who would foot the bill for this, Mrs. Gordon said: ?The Police have suggested that for certain private events and certain special events because of a lack of manpower if you are requesting a Police presence you will have to pay for it. Have we done that in the past? No. I cannot tell you what these events are ? I?m not sure ? but the bottom line is we have not received anything to say we will not have a Police presence. Discussions are underway.?

She added: ? If there?s a change in policy of any sort, what we would require is that this is confirmed to us in writing. As the Chamber has more than one event we would like to ask how this impacts other events. We have not seen anything that formally indicates that things have changed.? asked the Police to clarify the issue yesterday and to put an officer forward for comment. However, a spokesman declined to say anything other than that more information would be provided during the course of today.

Minister of Home Affairs Randolph Horton could not be reached for comment.