recommendations of the Mowbray study into the Police Service.

The review board, which made its final report to Labour and Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox in January, backed the re-commencing of hiring overseas officers to help quell the staffing problems facing the force.

And it spelt out that foreign officers will be needed as long as Bermudians have a choice of other careers offering similar rewards but with less stress.

Last night, Ms Cox refused to comment on the contents of the report or any possible Government moves on its findings.

She said she did not want to discuss the report whilst the talks on Police pay and negotiations were still ongoing.

Formal notification from the Police Association, of their rejection of the package on offer, had not yet been received by her department, she said. The dispute is set to go to arbitration.

The Mowbray report, which was obtained by the Royal Gazette prior to publication, supports the recruitment of locals but says Government will need to face the fact that the force will always need outside help.

And it proposes the re-hiring of retired officers and others who have left the force.

Last night, Louis Mowbray, chairman of the Police Pay and Conditions of Service Review Board, said there was much expertise among ex-officers on the Island, which could immediately be tapped into.

Mowbray report But he said the Government would have to make it financially attractive to those people.

"Skilled local people are in very short supply. The Police Service is a very big organisation; keeping that staffed is difficult to do locally.

"What we recommended was some changes to hopefully make it more possible to reach locals, but if that doesn't work, continue to get skilled people from overseas.'' He said he was sure that both sides would reach a solution to the dispute.

Officers are unhappy at the 2.98 basic pay increase offered along with combined premiums of between six and ten percent -- phased in over the next four years.

The Mowbray report said the premiums should be backdated to 1997 and gradually brought in by installments.

Mr. Mowbray said he was sure the final deal will reflect what he and his committee recommended, but warned that it could take some time to work out a satisfactory conclusion.

"I am quite sure they will reach a settlement,'' he said. "And I am sure it will resemble what we came up with.'' The former Bank of Bermuda human resources official warned that the Government may have to make the rewards even better or make the proposition more attractive to locals, if recruitment drives do not deliver enough Bermudian officers.

Skills: Louis Mowbray