the 1977 Disturbances, generally known as the Pitt Commission. That Commission set some standards for Bermuda and is often referred to by politicians, especially Opposition politicians, as a yardstick which Bermuda should follow.

Among the five people who served with the Chairman, Lord Pitt of Hampstead, was Mr. Alex Scott, now the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs.

Recently Mr. Scott has been the main critic of the reorganisation of the Police Service. He has been especially critical of the importation of the two top officers, on two and three year contracts, for the Police Service and of the personnel cuts required for reorganisation. Yet, as the reader points out, Mr. Scott signed the Pitt Commission report which said, "If there is a need in the future for senior officers to be recruited, this should be met by secondments from other police forces; the normal term to be three years, non-renewable. These officers would be required to devote time to training Bermudians to replace them. The Pitt Commission recognised the importance of recruiting Bermudians for the Police Service but, at the same time, it said, "It is also important to retain the commitment of experienced non-Bermudian officers.'' It is true that the Pitt Commission was some 17 years ago but the basic principle would seem to us to be the same today. Clearly there are times when Bermuda will need to look overseas for help and that help should be the best anyone can find.

Once we ask for help and it arrives, then it would seem to be pointless to raise all kinds of objections to the people doing the job we asked them to come and do. It is nonsense for politicians to claim that they support the reorganisation of the Police Service and then constantly complain about the process of reorganisation. There was general alarm that Bermuda had a crime problem. The Opposition, which had spent a great deal of time complaining that Bermuda was over-policed and becoming a Police state, then began to complain about the crime rate and to demand action.

The result was a decision to get help from Britain to restructure the moribund and rather out of date Police Service. And, even though it is too early to judge, there are already results which seem to show a reduction in many kinds of crime. Yet Mr. Alex Scott goes on leading the Opposition complaints about the reorganisation of the Police Service and about the men doing the job.

None of this is consistent nor does it amount to good sense or good judgment.

But perhaps it is not supposed to. It may simply indicate an Opposition agenda to complain about the Police Service no matter what is happening and to use the Police shamelessly to suit an Opposition agenda. That agenda would appear to be a decision to beat the Government with any weapon at hand, no matter how damaging or destructive the beating is for Bermuda.

Some areas of Bermudian life like the Police and drugs could easily be above politics. Yet the Opposition has never made an effort to assist in the fight against drugs. Now constant PLP knocking is degrading the Police Service and gives the public impression that the Opposition does does not mind crime. When a political party which represents nearly half the voters of Bermuda gives the appearance that it is anti-Police, it is playing a very dangerous political game.