Minister Home Affairs Minister Alex Scott.

And he charged that Mr. Scott had used Parliamentary privilege to launch "a scurrilous attack'' on him using an anonymous letter -- which claimed he had criticised Premier Pamela Gordon.

But Mr. Coxall said in a letter to The Royal Gazette : "It's very difficult to rebut smears of this sort but I hope the people of Bermuda can see....there was no justification whatsoever for Mr. Scott's remarks -- or indeed for other offensive comments which have been made since my departure.'' Mr. Coxall added: "There is not the slightest truth in the suggestion that I made the particular observations about the Premier which have been attributed to me, or indeed any disparaging comments about her.

"On the contrary, I made a number of speeches, both internally and in public, praising her and supporting her, particularly in her determination to see a crackdown on narcotics crime.'' Mr. Coxall also opened fire on "grossly defamatory'' claims in the letter that he had "concoted'' crime figures to cast his two-and-a-half year regime in a favourable light.

He said: "If Mr. Scott had taken the trouble to check the facts he would have found that the monthly and quarterly crime figures did not emanate from my office, but were produced by a separate department headed by a Detective Superintendent who, in this respect, was in no way subject to my directions.'' Mr. Coxall also took a swing at reports that his resignation came amid a "long-term erosion of confidence'', particularly over an alleged failure to produce a succession plan for the top two jobs in the force.

He said: "It is hard to see how this could have been the case when I have in my possession letters and references which show that I carried out my duties to the complete satisfaction of the present Governor, his predecessor (Lord Waddington) and the elected Government of Bermuda.

Mr. Coxall added that -- shortly before he quit -- Labour and Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness had praised him for doing "an outstanding job'' and had discussed a contract renewal beyond the original three-year term.

And he said the report by Her Majesty's Inspector of Dependent Territories Police Forces on the state of the Bermuda Police indicated "a huge improvement in the Police Service under my command''.

Mr. Coxall added that all the evidence pointed to substantial across the board support for him -- until the drugs-busting Operation Cleansweep earlier this year.

Environment Minister Irving Pearman was caught up in the undercover operation after cheques written by him were found in the possession of two men arrested in the street drug-dealing swoop.

Mr. Pearman said the cheques were for work around his house and denied any involvement in drugs. He was never charged with any offence.

The Commissioner quit shortly after a row over the Pearman affair -- but both Government and Governor Thorold Masefield denied his decision had anything to do with the controversy.

Full text of letter: Page 4