TRANSPORT Minister Dr. Ewart Brown was the subject of written complaints from both police and customs officers for his apparent reluctance to conform with security procedures when he went to the airport to escort friends through Customs, the Mid-Ocean News has learned.

A memo addressed to Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith from a constable on duty at Bermuda Airport stated Dr. Brown had turned up at the airport without identification on non-ministerial business and had demanded entry to the arrivals hall through the police station without the required security pass.

According to the memo, Dr. Brown had said he should be let straight through, as he and the Police Commissioner "had an understanding about this".

The constable also accused Dr. Brown of showing "extremely poor manners" towards police officers and of acting in an "unprofessional" way and that his entry into the arrivals hall without a pass - after another police officer had let him through - had amounted to "a breach of security".

The memo, obtained this week by this newspaper, referred to events on February 16 this year, and highlighted the officer's concerns that heightened security measures imposed since the September 11 terrorist attacks had been bypassed.

A separate memo sent by a Customs officer to Collector of Customs Winifred Fostine DeSilva, referring to the same day, corroborated the constable's version of events.

And it went on to state that Dr. Brown had met two passengers off the flight from Atlanta, had helped them pick up their luggage and had then accompanied them out of the baggage hall without acknowledging Customs staff.

Efforts to contact Dr. Brown yesterday were unsuccessful.

At the request of our sources, this newspaper has protected the identities of all police and Customs officers named in the memos.

The police officer's memo said Dr. Brown had arrived at the airport police station at 3.20 p.m. on Saturday, February 16.

It went on: "He (Dr. Brown) demanded that I open the station security doors to let him through to the arrivals hall. It took a moment for me to recognise who he was, however, he pointed to the Ministers of the Cabinet poster and told me who he was and for me to let him through.

"I noted that the Minister was in casual attire. I asked the Minister what he wanted to do here and he said, 'What I want to do'.

"I kindly asked the Minister to co-operate with me and tell me why he wanted to enter and he replied, 'Because I want to and if you have a problem with that, call the Commissioner; we have an understanding about this. Now let's go, let me through'.

"I informed Dr. Brown that I would not be calling the Commissioner. I also told the Minister that I was not refusing him entrance but that I was following protocol which includes information regarding the purpose of entry and the issuing of a temporary pass."

The memo goes on to say that the senior police officer on duty, PC X, spoke to the Minister and then went to see Customs officials to arrange for Dr. Brown to be escorted. It was then that the author of the memo momentarily left the station desk and a third police officer, PC Y, had opened the door allowing Dr. Brown into the arrivals hall.

The memo went on: "PC X approached the Minister in the arrivals hall and explained to him that he was to follow protocol, which was imperative in the proper functioning of security measures in the airport.

"I heard the Minister tell PC X, 'I don't care, do what you have to do' and he walked away from the officer. PC X returned to the station, a pass was prepared, and then PC X took the pass to the Minister, who was standing in the arrivals hall waiting for a passenger."

The memo stated that Ministers of previous Government administrations had been issued with permanent passes to enter the airport when necessary, rather than having to apply for temporary ones. And the officer recommended that this be repeated for the current Government "as a measure of protocol and to reduce conflict".

The memo also expressed concern over Dr. Brown's conduct. "It is considered to be unprofessional and of extremely poor manners for the Minister of Transport to behave the way he did with police officers. The Minister was attending the airport on a personal matter, which was to escort personal friends through Customs and Immigration, not on ministerial business of any sort."

The constable's memo added that since September 11, a heightened state of security had been imposed on all international airports by the Federal Aviation Administration.

"It is police duty to screen all individuals intending to go into restricted areas of the airport. The Minister did not allow police to perform these duties and he demanded access-air-side through the police station . . . That PC Y opened the security door for the Minister without my knowledge or consent and without a security pass is considered a breach of security . . . Should a serious event have occurred, police would have been held responsible for neglect of duties."

The memo from the Customs officer adds more detail.

It stated: "At approximately 1530 hours, PC X informed me that Dr. Brown had entered the airport police station to gain access to the arrival area. I was further advised by PC X that Dr. Brown and the officer initially attending him got into a confrontation over his access to the area and the fact that he was not in possession of any identification.

"PC X stated the attending officer asked Dr. Brown the reason for his presence and the officer was told, because he wanted to be and that he and the commissioner had an understanding.

"As a result of Dr. Brown's behaviour with the station officer PC X immediately informed me of what had transpired in the in the station and that he had issued him with a temporary pass.

"During our conversation, I observed Dr. Brown at the baggage conveyor belt speaking with two passengers from Delta flight 354. Once they claimed their luggage, assisted by a skycap, Dr. Brown and his friends exited the baggage hall area.

"On exiting, Dr. Brown, still obviously upset about his confrontation in the police station, had a further conversation with PC X about it.

"Dr. Brown still did not make any attempt to acknowledge any customs personnel regarding his presence. I recommend that this matter be dealt with at the appropriate level."

The Mid-Ocean News yesterday faxed questions on the case to Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith and Collector of Customs Winifred Fostine DeSilva, but there was no response from either by press time last night.