even before politics.'' Those words from former Police Commissioner Lennett (Lennie) Edwards sum up the dilemma facing the Government and the Police in their drive to bring the Service back up to force.

While the Government's desire to Bermudianise the Service is laudable, it needs to face the facts. With full employment, there are unlikely to be enough Bermudians who wish to join the Police.

The recent recruitment drive clearly brought some people forward who might not have sought a Police career otherwise and it is essential that similar drives continue.

But with just 16 recruits now undergoing training, it's unlikely that the Service will be able to replace those leaving the Service let alone bring the force up to its established numbers. There will always be difficulties in attracting qualified Bermudians to the Service. While a Police career can be rewarding, the pay, unsociable hours and the problem of Bermudians being put in the position of having to arrest their friends and relatives will always be a deterrent.

The alternative is to bring in officers from overseas and that has its drawbacks as well. The Police run the risk of being perceived as a "foreign army of occupation'' and it takes time for overseas officers to acclimatise to Bermuda.

But a balance needs to be struck. An undermanned Service is an unhappy Service and gaps in detection and prevention of crime is a far worse alternative.

Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox has attempted, correctly, to put Bermudians first. She has had some success, but the time has now come to look overseas for qualified applicants.

Mr. Edwards is right when he says: "Government has got to do what they've got to do -- even realising the sensitivity of it and the emotional issues.'' THE JOELL FUND EDT The Joell fund ACE Bermuda Ltd. deserves praise for its decision to fund grants for reading education in the primary schools.

ACE has set aside up to $400,000 to commemorate the memory of late MP Madeline Joell, who was a fine example of a black Bermudian who succeeded in reaching the senior ranks of the insurance world in addition to being a golf champion and briefly, a public servant who in her short time in Parliament promised much.

As such, this is a worthy way to honour her. It is also timely because concern over reading levels and literacy is high.

By targeting eight primary schools for the next five years, ACE has given students a chance to achieve the levels of success that Bermuda needs if it is to continue to succeed and grow.

As the global economy becomes more and more competitive, it is essential that Bermuda's young people have the tools to reach their full potential in order to take the jobs that are available, both in international business and in the rest of the Island's increasingly sophisticated economy -- including the Police, whose shortage of recruits has been touched on in today's other editorial.

The skills which Bermudians will need will also be sophisticated and specialised, but without a solid foundation in basic literacy and numeracy, they will have no chance of success.

This is a fine example of Government and the private sector working together for Bermuda. It should be remembered that ACE and other companies which give to the community, are under no obligation to do so. International companies have in the past been criticised for favouring private schools over public schools. This donation helps to set the record straight.