Commissioner Colin Coxall came down to a choice between one or the other, Mr.

Edness revealed yesterday.

And he told the first session of the House of Assembly that he informed Premier Pamela Gordon that he would quit if Mr. Coxall remained.

The shock ultimatum came after Mr. Edness and Mr. Coxall clashed head-on in a row over a succession plan to Bermudianise the two top jobs in the force.

And Mr. Edness insisted a crisis of confidence in the English Police chief was the reason behind Mr. Coxall's decision to retire five months before his contract ended.

Mr. Edness said: "Mr. Coxall's decision to resign as Commissioner of Police centred around our fundamental disagreements and Government's lack of confidence in him.'' Mr. Edness told the House that Mr. Coxall had agreed to draw up a training plan for Bermudian officers based on a UK model.

But Mr. Edness said: "Finally, at a meeting several weeks ago, in a manner which I considered disrespectful in the extreme, he flatly refused to produce the plan as previously agreed.

"I immediately informed the Premier that in the circumstances the Government could no longer have any confidence in Mr. Coxall and that I could not continue in my present portfolio while he remained Commissioner of Police.

"I had a duty to report this matter to His Excellency the Governor when I made it clear that I was prepared to step aside if he felt it was necessary for Mr. Coxall to continue.'' Mr. Edness admitted that Mr. Coxall had raised the issue of a contract extension.

He said: "There was a time when I thought Bermuda would be best served if this were to happen....although a decision to keep him in Bermuda was not mine alone to make, I discussed the possibility of such a move with him.'' But he insisted: "Our discussions never reached the stage of my making any kind of formal proposition to him, nor could I.'' Mr. Edness said that Mr. Coxall was brought to the Island by then-Governor Lord Waddington on "the clear understanding'' that he establish a procedure to promote Bermudians in the service.'' But he added: "Why Mr. Coxall refused to fulfill the critically important responsibility to produce a succession plan I do not know.

"However, his angry refusal to draft a succession plan, which was witnessed by another, made it impossible for me to continue to support him.'' And Mr. Edness hammered home the message that Mr. Coxall's decision to resign had nothing to do with the joint US/Bermudian drugs-busting Operation Cleansweep or the so-called Irving Pearman affair, when the Environment Minister was caught up in the swoop after two suspected drugs dealers were found to have cheques made out by Mr. Pearman.

Mr. Edness told the House he had decided to speak out amid "extensive speculation and debate'' on the circumstances surrounding Mr. Coxall's decision to quit.

And he took a swipe at editorials in The Royal Gazette on the Coxall controversy.

Mr. Edness said: "During this time the Government has quite properly declined to discuss this matter. But others, armed only with the flimsiest of second or third-hand information, have reached quite outrageous conclusions which simply have no basis and which could threaten Bermuda's international reputation and well-being.

"I refer specifically to persistent rumours, fanned by the Editor of the daily newspaper, which link Mr. Coxall's departure to Operation Cleansweep.'' And he slammed last Saturday's editorial in The Royal Gazette , which said accusations against Mr. Coxall were a "red herring'' and that Government had been "terrified'' that a large number of impartial drugs-busters from the US "might turn up more than Government could face''.

Mr. Edness said: "That statement is false -- completely and utterly false.

There is no linkage whatsoever between Operation Cleansweep and Mr. Coxall's decision to resign.

"To suggest that the Government felt any political pressure from Operation Cleansweep is nonsense. Quite the reverse is true.

"The operation produced some very welcome and tangible results which supported the Government's decision to bring about fundamental changes to the way in which our Police service is operated.'' Mr. Edness added that editorials in The Royal Gazette presented a picture of "a Government steeped in corruption''.

But he said Government had "a deep loathing'' for the drugs trade and said it was "deeply insulting to all of us in this House'' to suggest it would turn a blind eye to illegality.

And he dismissed claims in The Royal Gazette that Mr. Coxall had made a presentation at Government House setting out options for succession.

Mr. Edness said the presentation was of the UK model and that both he and Governor Thorold Masefield had agreed the system could not be used in Bermuda without "significant change''.

He added that Mr. Coxall had agreed to modify the UK approach and provide a blueprint tailored to Bermuda.

But Mr. Edness said: "In spite of urging from the Governor and myself, Mr.

Coxall failed to produce such a plan and the Government began to lose confidence in him.'' And he added: "I wish also to express my anger and dismay at the grotesque allegations which have been made in some quarters about the honesty of the Government. This is an honest jurisdiction. It always has been and I know not a single soul who is not determined that it should always remain that way.''