Education could be the carrot needed to induce more young Bermudians to join the Bermuda Regiment, a visiting former professor has suggested.

And the exercise could make conscription less necessary and produce an operation where soldiers are happy to serve.

Mr. Jack Piela of Connecticut, shared these ideas in an interview with The Royal Gazette yesterday. And his ideas received some positive feedback from Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness whose portfolio includes the Regiment.

"I would be interested in seeing a brief or an outline of those ideas,'' Mr.

Edness said. "That is a programme that we could have a look at.

"I can recall discussing this some years ago. We were looking at the possibility of using education as an incentive to attract young people into the service. I think it has a great deal of merit.'' Meanwhile, Mr. Piela said the current conscription vehicle did not produce a soldier with any strong loyalties to the service and what was needed was another method of maintaining numbers.

His suggestion would be to follow a programme similar to the one that exists in Connecticut.

"We have a National Guard which is our state organisation in times of crisis,'' he explained.

"Any person that is recruited voluntarily is entitled to free education at state schools.'' That person he explained would have to maintain proper grades and attendance but the result would be a degree of loyalty in that part time soldier.

"It is a win-win situation,'' he said. "Bermuda should consider doing it here because it opens the door for persons to volunteer.

"They see the advantages of a free education and the Regiment gets someone with a degree of loyalty. This means that the Regiment will be able to attract better people.'' Mr. Piela admitted that the costs of supporting a number of part time soldiers at the Bermuda College was a large issue.

But he added:"I'd rather look at it as an investment. If over his three years in the Regiment he is able to get a two year Associates' degree. That is not a bad bargain.'' Moreover he said that the Bermuda College should seek affiliations with Colleges and Universities in the United States and Canada so that the student could continue on for a four year degree.

Jack Piela