Both sides in the prison negotiations are remaining tight-lipped after Government revealed to prison officer leaders the recommendations of a management review.

And last night Bermuda Prison Officers Association (BPOA) chairman Michael Tuzo refused to be drawn on media speculation that one of the recommendations is that Prisons Commissioner John Prescod should quit.

Prison officers are at loggerheads with Mr. Prescod and recently renewed calls for him to step down.

A review team was set up in January to look at management and yesterday Home Affairs Minister Randy Horton met with the leadership of the BPOA to outline the report which covered the performance of Mr. Prescod and his assistant commissioners Randall Woolridge and Marvin Trott.

Speaking after that meeting, BPOA chairman Michael Tuzo told The Royal Gazette that six recommendations had been made but he refused to say any more until Mr. Horton makes a public statement.

Last night he maintained that position. When questioned about reports on ZBM News that one of the recommendations of the report was to remove Mr. Prescod, Mr. Tuzo said: "I did give the Minister my assurance I will not reveal anything (before he does)."

Mr. Horton said the public will be informed about the meeting after he meets with Government MPs and Senators at tomorrow's caucus.

He said: "I am now considering the recommendations and expect to be in a position to make a decision about these recommendations by the end of May."

Asked if he was happy with the recommendations Mr. Tuzo said: "You can't get everything you want.

"The Minister has assured us he is willing to sit down with us to assess how we can move forward."

He said Mr. Prescod's removal had always been on the agenda but he refused to say if Government had agreed.

He said he did not know if anyone was in line to replace Mr. Prescod who has one year left on his three-year contract.

However, both Mr. Tuzo and the members leaving the two hour meeting at Bermuda Industrial Union headquarters seemed upbeat about the day's proceedings, with many of the POA rank and file exiting with large smiles.

"There are still some things we have to resolve but the mood is pretty upbeat from what they have heard today," said Mr. Tuzo.

When Mr. Horton was asked about Mr. Prescod's future he said: "I am not going to answer any questions concerning what the recommendations are at this time. I promised to make no public statement."

He added: "I was very pleased with the report and much thought went into it."

Last year officers went on a four-day strike in a bid to oust Mr. Prescod. However Mr. Tuzo said similar action was not imminent.

"We are going to sit down and try to work through it," he said following yesterday's meeting.

Assistant Commissioner Randall Woolridge was at the BPOA meeting and also emerged smiling broadly but refused to comment.

Mr. Tuzo said Mr. Woolridge was a member of the association.

Government is also in pay talks with prison officers who have been working without an award for the last 18 months.

It's understood Government is offering between three and 3.5 percent. A new award is due in August, sources told The Royal Gazette.

Prison officers headed back to work after the meeting but it had already disrupted yesterday's Supreme Court arraignment session because there were no staff to transfer remand prisoners from Westgate. The session only dealt with those on bail.

Prison officers have been gunning for Mr. Prescod since spring 2003 when officers went on a four-day strike after branding him arrogant and autocratic.

They complained he had failed to implement 23 out of 35 recommendations made by a Board of Inquiry into the service made before he arrived in Bermuda in May 2002.

Government brokered a deal which promised Mr. Prescod would honour those recommendations.

Officers are calling for improved appraisals, training, succession planning, career planing, consultation and communication.