year.

It has presented a proposal for a site on Laffan St. to the Development Applications Board.

The new headquarters would incorporate the association's Portuguese school, a library, kitchen, space for rehearsing folk dances and a playground.

Currently, the association meets at the Vasco da Gama Club in Hamilton.

Association president Jose Benevides told The Royal Gazette he hoped the group could move into the building by February, 1997, assuming planning permission was granted.

"We don't have any headquarters and have been looking all over the Island for some place where we can have a school and rehearse for folk dances.

"This building is owned by the Catholic Church and we have been allowed to fix it up,'' he said. "It's empty now, but it used to be two apartments, upstairs and downstairs.'' The application before the DAB is to change the use of the site from residential.

"The building requires a lot of labour. Masons and carpenters from the community are going to help,'' said Mr. Benevides.

"Most of the work involves painting, fixing pipe work, fixing the roof, and cleaning. We also need to fix the outside and put some flags up.

"If we get planning approval it will take a couple of months to get everything in shape.'' Mr. Benevides said there were 190 members of the association -- a charitable organisation which had been running for six years and mainly financed itself through functions and dinners. It was also helped by a grant from the Portuguese Government.

The Portuguese school was attended by 95 children, added Mr. Benevides.

It taught Portuguese culture and language, with classes from 4 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday, Mr. Benevides explained. There were also classes Saturdays.

"The school is designed to teach children their own culture in case they have to go back to the Azores,'' said Mr. Benevides.

"It's just like a normal school and we have our own teacher.'' Mr. Benevides said the school would be based upstairs at the new headquarters, while the library would be downstairs.