delayed, the Commissioner said this week.

Government is drawing up a Proceeds of Crime Bill allowing Police to confiscate drug dealers' assets such as cash, cars and even houses.

Commissioner Colin Coxall said: "I had hoped to get the Bill through before Christmas.

"I was disappointed it did not go through in the last Parliamentary session.

I still hope to get it through in this session.'' However Acting Premier Jerome Dill could not commit to dealing with the Bill when Parliament re-opens in February but pledged it would be dealt with before the House of Assembly finishes in July.

The Bill was announced in last November's Throne Speech and aims to deal with money laundering as well as the confiscation of drug profits.

It will give Police power to confiscate anything belonging to a drug dealer that was bought through profits from drugs.

The Throne Speech said: "This law will be directed at those who engage in activities that threaten our economic and social stability, regardless of these individual's station in our community.'' According to the Speech, the Bill would be introduced sometime in the current Parliamentary year, which ends in July.

Mr. Coxall added that once the Bill was in place the Service would have to train officers, strengthen the commercial crime section and set up a department dealing with information on confiscation and money laundering.

"I will need to train my officers to deal with this complex work,'' he said.

"It will be unthinkable for Bermuda not to bring itself in line with best practice elsewhere because Bermuda has built its reputation for financial probity over many years.

"It is essential for the perception of the international business that its business practices are in line with accepted practices elsewhere.'' Premier David Saul is off the Island and acting Premier Jerome Dill said Government was committed to the Bill, but could not guarantee it would be dealt with in the coming session, when the Budget will be debated.

He said a second draft of the Bill was now being drawn up following representations from the Island's financial sector.

"We have narrowed the issues of concern and we are working as quickly as we can to bring it to a final draft.

"We committed ourselves to do it by the end of July and that will be done.

Whether we can do it near the Budget is another matter. We cannot simply ignore the concerns of the stakeholders in this,'' said Mr. Dill.

POWER OFF FIR BUC Power off Some 200 Warwick homes were blacked out for six hours yesterday after an electrical pole blaze. Properties in Forest Hill Drive, South Shore, Ord Road and Witchery Drive were hit.

Firemen were called to the scene near Marley Beach, South Road, Warwick, at 1.45 a.m. Damage to the pole was put at $200.

A Bermuda Electric Light Company spokesperson said: "A conductor came away from the insulator and leant on the crossarm, causing the circuit to trip. It may have been caused by the wind.'' She added power was cut off at 1.06 a.m. and restored at about 6 a.m. Repairs were hampered by the weather.