Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox told the House of Assembly she was about to become "action man'' in her often controversial Ministry.

She said although the first four months the Government had been in power had seen a lot of "meetings and listening'', a new phase was now beginning which would see action rather than words.

And in all policies in every department she was determined to keep the PLP's election campaign pledge to make life more equitable for Bermudians.

She detailed the 1999/2000 budget's impact on Immigration, public safety, Police, the Bermuda Regiment, the Fire Service, internal security, Labour and Industrial Relations, the Registry General and the Prisons department.

After Police the most expensive department under her $65 million Ministry was the Prisons department which was expected to cost $13.1 million in the coming year, she said.

The one percent increase on last year's Budget was expected to be funnelled into extra prison officer training and psychological programmes for inmates.

A sex offenders treatment programme as well as the use of prison dogs to fight drugs in prisons were both expected to be implemented this year.

She said a register of sex offenders was also on the agenda as well as video conferencing in the Magistrates' Court and a closed circuit television system in Westgate.

But her Shadow Minister Michael Dunkley said the priority should be reviewing what happened after inmates left prison since the rate of repeat incarcerations in Bermuda was over 70 percent.

Prisons were enormously expensive to run -- at $40,000 per prisoner per year -- and by spending more money on helping prisoners reintegrate into the community less would reoffend and more inmates would be productive.

He said it was time to consider creative solutions like weekend incarceration, life-skills schools, curfews and victim-offender meetings.

The Government should also draw up a drug-testing policy for inmates, prison officers, police and the Regiment to address the problem.

And every Opposition MP was willing to be tested in order to "lead by example'' if the Government MPs would also agree.

But Ms Cox did not touch on drug-testing although she did commend the "unique social and racial integration'' of the Bermuda Regiment which she said had often opened it to conflict.

The Budget allocated funds to buy "night vision devices'' to allow the Regiment to operate 24 hours a day, as well as better wet weather gear and maintenance for the Warwick Camp.

Ms Cox said funds for the Fire Service this year would be used predominantly to enhance and maintain the service which last month was expanded to include emergency medical services at either ends of the Island.

And a 22-week training course was to be held for a team of new recruits.

But for "hot training'' she said 17 officers would be travelling to the UK since there was no longer any access to the baselands where this type of training used to occur. Both sides of the House also locked horns over the issue of industrial relations.

Ms Cox said 1998 saw a total of 11 industrial relations issues arbitrated and the PLP Government was intent on having a complete review of labour legislation in place for the new Millennium.

She said the Fair Employment Act would be a comprehensive bill which would make resolving workplace disputes easier and cheaper.

Mr. Dunkley called on the Government to make employers and unions chip in to pay for expensive arbitration which would force both sides to strive for speedy resolutions.

Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety 1999/00 estimates Ministry responsibility: To advise on the formulation and implementation of policy, to generally direct and coordinate the operations and the activities within the Ministry, including labour and public safety.

Budget estimate: $64,988,000 (last year $63,818,000) Revenue: $18,223,000 Budget allocations Defence $4,617,000 Police $35,705,000 Prisons and Sr Training Schools $13,092,000 Immigration $3,334,000 Registry General $1,206,000 Min of Labour and Home Affairs HQ $252,000 Fire Services $6,127,000 Security Services $177,000 Labour $478,000 Pledging action: Paula Cox