Bermuda's new national service programme will help stamp out some of the feeling of entitlement affecting young people, Public Safety Minister David Burch told a press conference on Tuesday.

Specific details on the Throne Speech initiative remain under wraps — due to be fleshed out by Premier Ewart Brown at a later date — but Sen. Burch gave his blessing for the concept.

"It's going to provide opportunities for young Bermudians to be able to broaden their scope and perhaps stem the feelings of entitlement that we seem to have engendered in this Country by requiring all young people to do some kind of national service," said the Minister.

Reading the Throne Speech last week, Sir Richard Gozney had said: "This initiative will require Bermudian young men and women to actively participate in mentoring the youth and committing to the provision of work experience designed to expose our youth to the rigours of the working world thereby permitting sound career choices and the early acquisition of those skills required to make our youth undeniable assets to a broad range of employers."

In Tuesday's press conference — his first following a three-month absence due to ill health — Sen. Burch also raised concerns over the appointment of Michael DeSilva as Police Commissioner. Asked what he thought of the move, he paused for several seconds before replying: "Not involved in the process. Government has no say in the matter."

He said Government had a cordial relationship with Mr. DeSilva while he was deputy, but said 14 months as deputy was "not a whole lot of experience", and added that he had concern that many other senior posts also had new or newer staff in place.

He described his relationship with Government House as "just fine", adding: "We are never going to be friends. We have a working relationship. From where I stand, it works very well. I know where the demarcation is."

Sen. Burch also referred to some initiatives planned in his Ministry for the following year, including a one-stop career centre which will come online in the first quarter of next year and a workforce development initiative to give Bermudians better skills to help them retain employment.