Prison officers began talks in earnest with Government yesterday after their walk out earlier this month.

Home Affairs Minister Terry Lister admitted the talks were "a bit late in our view, it's week three".

And the hunger strike by foreign prisoners has ended Home Affairs Minister Terry Lister confirmed yesterday.

He said the protest by 12 men including six Jamaicans ended on Tuesday afternoon after Prison Commissioner John Prescod met them and explained the parole policy.

But Mr. Lister repeated that Government would still make drug mules serve at least half their sentence - a policy which does not discriminate between Bermudians and non-Bermudians.

Prisoners convicted of some offences can be paroled after serving one third of their sentence. Mr. Lister said it would be impossible to parole foreign nationals because they could not be supervised once they left the country.

He said: "We want them to stay at get it right."

Prison officers had issued a 21-day strike notice after passing a no confidence motion against Prison Commissioner John Prescod. Mr. Lister said it was too early to know if the strike would go ahead when the deadline comes on Monday.

He said: "That decision is not made until nearer the end. I would expect that decision to be made on Friday."

The Minister said negotiations had been delayed as officers prioritised a long list of demand. He said: "Some are pretty clear, some are warm and fuzzy. Now they are clarified and crystallised our Labour Relations Officer is working together with the Prison Commissioner to bring them together."

During their walk-out the Prison Officers Association (POA) members said Mr. Prescod, who was appointed last year, was autocratic and had failed to implement 23 out of 35 recommendations made following a Board of Inquiry into the service in 2001.