revealed that traffic wardens have been given a two-page list of vehicles exempt from being given parking tickets.

It is understood the wardens are on the look out for dozens of Police cars which should not be ticketed -- but the Corporation of Hamilton has insisted there is no widespread amnesty for the service.

A Police Media Spokesperson confirmed: "There is a list of unmarked Police cars, and those on duty are not subject to parking tickets.'' But Corporation of Hamilton Secretary Roger Sherratt said: "The Corporation is not aware of any such list.

And he went on to say that, as far as the Corporation was concerned, "no one is exempt from paying for parking, not even the Mayor''.

Mr. Sherratt did say however, that the corporation accepts if Police are on duty and attending a scene then they should not be ticketed as it may be an emergency and legal parking may not be possible, But he reiterated: "There is no blanket exemption for Policemen.'' Mr. Sherratt said the Corporation often liaises with traffic wardens but he had never heard of any such list.

The Police spokesman said that only Police cars were on the list and it did not apply to off-duty unmarked Police cars.

When asked how Wardens would know the difference between off duty and on duty Police cars, the spokesman said it can always be verified, and they do not condone any abuse of the system.

The Police force has 89 cars in total -- not including vans and trucks -- and 58 of these are understood to be unmarked vehicles, leaving 31 marked Police cars.

A source told The Royal Gazette that officers of the rank of chief inspector and above are entitled to the privilege of a car, equating to a total of 16 cars for the top brass.

A traffic warden was spotted outside Magistrates Court this week looking through a two page list of cars exempt from parking charges and tickets in the City.

When asked what the list was for, she replied: "It is a list of working Police vehicles,'' meaning under cover Police cars.

Whatever vehicles the list contains, it may not have the Island's top cop on it.

In July of this year Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lemay received a ticket on his car while illegally parked outside The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.