semi-official visit.

And it is believed that Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Philip Murray could use the trip to give his blessing to Jean Jacques Lemay's appointment as Commissioner of the Island force.

The Royal Gazette revealed yesterday that the Acting Commissioner -- on an 18-month secondment from the Mounties -- was set to be confirmed in the job by Governor Thorold Masefield.

It is understood Mr. Murray had originally planned a private visit with his wife -- but has opted to use part of the vacation to cement relations between the Mounties and the Island's force.

An RCMP spokesman at the Mounties' headquarters in Ottawa said: "You're absolutely right -- it's half a private visit, half holiday thing and there are some official functions the Commissioner will go to.'' Mr. Lemay yesterday refused any comment on plans for Mr. Coxall's successor.

But a force spokesman said the RCMP Commissioner would be visiting "at the invitation of Mr. Lemay at the end of the month.'' The spokesman confirmed: "The visit is intended as a vacation but during his stay will be meeting a number of dignitaries and will thus be combining business with pleasure.'' The news came as Shadow Labour and Home Affairs Alex Scott said his party could work with Mr. Lemay as successor to English officer Colin Coxall.

Mr. Coxall quit the job last October, five months before his three-year contract was to expire and after a series of clashes with Government.

Mr. Scott said: "We have found Mr. Lemay to be very accommodating and someone we can live with -- he has a strong sympathy and empathy for the Bermudianisation of the senior ranks of the Bermuda service.

"That is something we could not say about Mr. Coxall.'' And he claimed: "Since Mr. Coxall's leaving, we have had a minimal, if not very few, complaints from inside the Police service about Mr. Lemay's administration.'' But Mr. Scott said his party was still right behind Bermudian officers in the forces' top jobs.

He added: "The ideal solution for Bermuda from a policing point of view is to have a local Commissioner.'' "He would know the terrain, be known by the majority of the officers and have the ability to identify with the community and the community with him.'' And he insisted that Governor Thorold Masefield, Government and Mr. Coxall had all failed to "meet the primary requirement of his contract and Government's commitment that they would have a Bermudian Commissioner within a three-year period.'' Mr. Scott added: "If we accept what we read in The Royal Gazette as accurate, we would have thought Mr. Lemay's new contract, if there was no Bermudian currently ready, would be on a year to year basis.'' And he said that if -- as predicted -- Acting Deputy Commissioner Harold Moniz is confirmed in his job as well, he saw no reason why he should not have been considered for the Commissioner's job.

MYSTERY OVER VISITOR CTS Mystery over visitor Mystery last night surrounded the case of an undocumented man for whom Police are seeking an interpreter.

Chandrare Gophinath yesterday appeared before Senior Magistrate Will Francis on charges of having forged immigration documents.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor told the court Gophinath was arrested at Bermuda International Airport when he was found with Canadian documents in the name of Marcello Ricci on March 17.

When Mr. Francis asked Gophinath if he understood the charges, he shook his head, indicating he did not understand.

Sgt. Taylor told Mr. Francis that it appears Switzerland was Gophinath's last residence and apart from "Pidgin English'' he may be able to speak German.

"It's the Crown's belief that he is an illegal immigrant,'' Sgt. Taylor added. "We still haven't got his true identity, place of birth, or nationality.'' Mr. Francis ordered the man to be remanded in custody until tomorrow for the services of an interpreter to be secured.

IMMIGRATION IMM