rushing to the support of prison officers and the prison service in the wake of public anger over events at Casemates. The support was so blatant at the most recent meeting of the Senate that it has to have been contrived simply because that quantity of support could not have been spontaneous. Clearly Government decided to support the prison service in order to head off any problems in the service. Perhaps Government responded to pleas. We hope it did not react to threats. Perhaps Government's intent was political because catering to the prison service has normally been the role of the Progressive Labour Party. Whatever the cause, a stranger reading reports of the remarks in the Senate on the prison service would have been forgiven for thinking that Bermuda possessed a superior prison service, perfectly run and exemplary in its dedication. The public must have been very confused because responsive Governments usually busy themselves with public concerns. The public is deeply concerned about the prisons yet politicians seem to be saying that the public should lay off the prison service. Something's radically wrong here and Senators of both UBP and PLP persuasion should learn that they can fool some of the people but ....

Let's be realistic about this mess before pandering makes a poor situation worse. We don't think there is a person in Bermuda who believes that service at an antiquated and overcrowded Casemates is easy but the fact is that Bermuda is building a new prison and has also built new co-ed facilities at Ferry Reach. The Bermuda Prison Officers Association has appealed for public understanding. It points out that the service works under increasingly stressful conditions and that recent events are not a true reflection of the long and dedicated service provided by members of the Prison Officers Association. The public is not attempting to discredit individual prison officers because there are many people who have given long and dedicated service. But the truth is that the public has a very real problem with recent events in the prison. It does not matter what caused these events, be it poor working conditions, stressful overcrowding, bad supervision, heavy workload, ineffective management or whatever, the events happened and the public concern is the same and the public wants solutions.

The prison officers seek understanding but they also have to understand that they are public servants and, given a long series of what they themselves call "unfortunate'' events at Casemates, the public has very legitimate and strong concerns.

The escape from prison of any country's most notorious inmate would have brought that country's prison service into disrepute. That is what happened when Troy Dean Shorter escaped. But Troy Dean Shorter's escape was not the only one. The refusal to hold a public inquiry into the Shorter escape added to the public's concern because it smelled of cover-up. That's Government's fault.

Bermuda's prison service suffered from a double impact. Escapes were bad enough but there were also comic elements which caused the public to think of the prison service as a farce. Reports that Troy Dean Shorter escaped and then took a public bus were disturbing and sad but, inevitably, the stuff that comedy is made of. Luscious Lollipops for Fathers' Day and the suggestion that what prison officers do best is stage raunchy strip shows also has elements of the comic. Great comedy is always tinged with sadness and truth and that was certainly so when the Commissioner of Prisons left Bermuda the day after Shorter's escape. To add insult to the public's concern, he does not appear to have been chastised.

Politicians have now jumped, with motive we think, to the support of the prison service. They should be careful not to abandon their duty to the public and to be sure that they face the public's concerns. The promised probe of the prisons has not been finalised and politicians should not pre-judge the findings of that investigation because the public wants to know the truth.