starts on a neighbouring construction project.

And Abel Cabral, who owns the Rite-Way building supplies and Animal and Garden House stores on Cemetery Road, has called on new Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott to intervene before Belco Holdings Ltd., owners of the Bermuda Electric Light Company, closes the road.

On Tuesday, the company announced that a section of the road will be closed for the whole of next year while construction work is carried out at the plant.

Two brand new engines and a smoke stack will be erected on the site of the East power station to increase electricity production. Preliminary building work has already begun and is expected to last right through next year.

Belco has been granted planning permission for the multi-million dollar project and the Department of Works and Engineering has also given the closure the all clear.

But last night Mr. Cabral said: "No consideration has been given to the small businesses. Why would my customers come back after 12 months?'' He said Works officials did not have the "courtesy'' to meet with business owners on Cemetery Road.

"I'm not looking for compensation. I don't want a handout,'' Mr. Cabral added. "I just want to be in business without people throwing obstacles in my way.

"Gary Madeiros has called me and he has been sympathetic, but sympathy doesn't help me. I want to know why W&E did not canvass businesses here.'' Mr. Cabral added: "I am going to be closed and meanwhile Belco will want their payment on time as will Government. I think it is unfair!'' Another Cemetery Road businessman said that, while he sympathised with Mr.

Cabral, he would not be making any official complaint to the company or the Government.

Central Filing manager Jim Gould said: "I don't think we have the same issues as the other businesses on the road.

"While they are retailers, we run this as a storage warehouse so, while I can understand that they will have some issues from their standpoint, as long as we can get our boxes of files to our customers, I don't think it's going to impact on us.'' The manager of a fourth store, Treecon Limited, which has just moved onto the road, also denied that he would be taking any action, saying that he had been told of the closure before the store opened.

On Wednesday, a Belco spokeswoman said it was essential to close part of the road off in order to protect the public.

She insisted that all four stores on the road had been kept informed about the plant expansion but would not be drawn on whether or not compensation would be offered.

"While this important project will significantly improve and increase our ability to meet the Island's demand for electricity into the next Century, it also means that work will be ongoing throughout 1999, causing some inconvenience to the surrounding neighbourhood,'' the spokeswoman said.

"In order to reduce the inconvenience to Belco customers and to the businesses located on Cemetery Road, we will begin a comprehensive advertising schedule to inform the public of the closure, its duration, and provide alternative access routes starting tomorrow.