Civil servants are to receive training in investigative skills from Ombudsman Arlene Brock later this year. Ms Brock helped conduct a four-day course last month in the British Virgin Islands called "Sharpening Your Teeth" for public servants, including Police, auditors and immigration officers.

The experience convinced her that some of Bermuda's civil servants could benefit from the same training. She said she would offer the course here to mark the fifth anniversary in August of the opening of the Ombudsman's office.

"It is a course that is offered all over the world by the Ombudsman for Ontario," said Ms Brock, adding that she was asked to step in and co-deliver the training in BVI.

"They wanted to make sure that the course felt relevant to the small island and they wanted me to pitch in and help with that. It was quite an honour to be asked. It was offered to about 50 people in the civil service who, in the course of their work, would have to do investigations. As a result of doing that, I thought why not do it here. I have enough in the Budget to do it."

BVI complaints commissioner Elton Georges said: "Ms Brock shared generously of the techniques and approaches that helped her office to be very effective in a small population comparable to the BVI's, where investigators have to manage their own multiplex relationships and roles."