list, calling for "action'' on a new court reporting system and a "more efficient'' criminal justice system.

Sen. Mark Pettingill yesterday told The Royal Gazette that he felt Government Probation Services was overworked due to the amount of social inquiry reports being ordered and it should be revamped.

He also stressed that a drug court desperately needed to be put into practice, and that an effective drug rehabilitation would help keep substance abusers from breaking the law again.

But the crux of Sen. Pettingill's argument rested on the issue of the proposed court reporting system, which was promised in last year's Progressive Labour Party election manifesto and, for which, according to Government personnel, design proposals were considered last month.

"Santa's sleigh isn't big enough for all of the things I would like to see done,'' he said, "but one of them is that we see some action on the modernising of the whole court system, including the implementation of an accurate and effective court reporting system.'' Sen. Pettingill echoed numerous statements from Bermuda Bar Association president Richard Hector, saying that such a system would "drastically cut down on time that it takes for a trial to run its course''.

"My feeling now is that many proceedings in court tend to hang on ambiguities in the written records,'' he added, "and I think this is adverse to the wheels of justice. A new recording system would mean that a great deal of money could be saved simply due to shorter trials.'' Asked why the UBP had never implemented such a system during their time in Government, he replied: "I was not part of the UBP then and I don't know why it wasn't done. I just know that the PLP promised during last year's Throne Speech and that the wheels had already been set in motion when they did so.

It's time we saw some action on it, rather than just talk.'' Sen. Pettingill referred to Government's proposals to have video conferencing for inmates attending Magistrates' Court.

"This is a perfect example of them putting the cart before the horse,'' he said. "They should be looking at other common sense avenues before they start even thinking about this kind of window dressing.'' One of Sen. Pettingill's suggestions was that videotaping equipment be put in Police interview rooms to record statements from suspects and witnesses.

"The result of this would be that less work would be spent on writing out the transcripts in longhand and also that the records could be used in court to show those concerned exactly what was said and done during the interview,'' he said.

Sen. Pettingill referred to a fraud trial some years back when they had used videotape in such a manner and added: "These are common sense approaches that would just mean evidence could be collected in a more appropriate way.'' Another area he said he felt could be improved was Government's Probation Services, which he said took weeks to get social inquiry reports completed and consequently caused inmates to spend "22 hours a day locked up'' while they were waiting for them.

"I know they are doing their level best to accomplish all they can there,'' Sen. Pettingill stressed, "but the fact is they are inundated with so many orders for reports that they can't get them done in a reasonable amount of time.'' He said one possible solution to this was simply to hire more people.

"If the department is inundated to such a degree that they are ineffective, then they have to hire more people,'' Sen. Pettingill said, "and if they have to go overseas to do it, then so be it.'' Family Services director Luelle Todd was unable to be reached for comment last night.

Sen. Pettingill also said something had to be done to deal with the number of drug-related crimes the courts were handling.

Referring to Government's proposed implementation of a drug court, Sen.

Pettingill said he felt this was an idea that needed to "put into play''.

He added that an effective rehabilitation centre should be placed on the cards to "reduce the risk of recidivism, of a criminal going back to crime''.

Sen. Mark Pettingill