Training for Marine and Ports staff is on the cards as part of a new era at the department.

Courses are to be offered to all staff in a bid to ensure employees are equipped for the demands of the future.

The move comes after the resolution of the dispute involving tug pilot Kenneth Todd, who returned to active duties recently with a new crew on board the Faithful .

Assistant Marine and Ports director Mike Dolding said the situation was being monitored but added the crew had been operating without any problems.

In addition, the arbitration that saw the rift healed also allowed both sides to "clear the air'' on several other issues.

Mr. Todd and his five-man crew are the first to take part in conflict resolution and team building programmes.

Mr. Dolding said similar courses would be offered to other employees as time progressed.

A new crew was assigned to the Faithful after a long-running conflict between the Bermuda Industrial Union Marine section and Marine and Ports, over the return to work of Mr. Todd.

THIEVES TAKE CLOTHES CRM Thieves take clothes Heartless thieves stole a large bag containing donated school clothing after ransacking the Reid Street offices of the Salvation Army.

The theft occurred sometime between 9.30 a.m on Saturday and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Police said.

But thieves were unsuccessful in breaking into the Woodbourne Chemist on Gorham Road on Sunday night.

An unknown tool was used several times to smash the right front door, but it did not completely shatter. Nothing was stolen.

And an unknown quantity of coins was stolen from a cigarette machine at Southampton Rangers Club early on Sunday morning, while overnight on Saturday, five cartons of cigarettes were stolen from Riddell's Bay Gas Station.

WOMAN HURT IN ATTACK CRM Woman hurt in attack An elderly woman was dragged along the ground as she tried to foil a handbag snatcher on Friday evening.

The 67-year-old woman told Police she was walking on Somerset Road, Sandys Parish at about 6 p.m. when a man sneaked up to her from behind and grabbed her handbag.

But the victim had wrapped the handbag strap around her wrist and refused to let go. She was dragged along the ground, cutting and bruising her legs.

The culprit, who is described as a dark-skinned man with a stocky build, eventually escaped with the handbag, which contained a small amount of cash, credit cards and other personal items.

DELIVERY MAN ROBBED CRM Delivery man robbed Police are searching for two men who stole food from a Wok Restaurant delivery man.

The incident occurred on Friday as the man had stopped on Border Lane to enter Friswell's Hill, Pembroke.

He told Police a group of youths surrounded his cycle and took the food out of the storage box on the cycle.

The culprits are described as a light brown skinned male with rust coloured deadlocks and approximately five foot five inch, 180 pounds and about 16 or 17 years old.

Police are also looking for his partner, another black male with collar length braids and is about 16 years old.

BOATER WAS SPEEDING CTS Boater was speeding A 25-year-old boater sped into trouble with Marine Police.

Jason E. DeSilva, of Mill Reach, Pembroke, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court yesterday to piloting a boat at an excess speed.

Crown counsel Charmaine Smith said Marine Police were on mobile patrol around 10.15 a.m. on July 5, 1998.

Officers saw a 17-foot blue boat near the entrance to Flatts Inlet travelling in a five-knot "no wake'' zone.

But the boat was travelling at about ten to 15 knots, creating a large wake and disturbing people swimming nearby.

DeSilva apologised to the court and Senior Magistrate Will Francis fined him $150.