failed Ritz-Carlton hotel for "the people of Bermuda''.

"I would like to urge Government to consider repurchasing the land which was acquired to develop a hotel for the Ritz Carlton along South Shore,'' Quinton Edness told The Royal Gazette .

"Right now there is a lot of drug activity and people squatting. It's looking atrocious and it's a blight on Bermuda.'' The beach-front land in Warwick was originally slated to become the site of a $200 million Ritz-Carlton hotel in 1993.

However, that plan collapsed when Japanese financial backers suffered tremendous losses in unstable Far East markets.

Bermudatel Ltd., a local company which was incorporated to handle the deal, owns the property and is represented by W.B. Johnson Ltd. LLC.

Last month a spokesman for W.B. Johnson Limited said the property development firm was "exploring alternate uses for the property'' and "how best to go about developing it''.

This included a variety of feasibility studies, but nothing concrete was expected to be in place for the next few months.

But Mr. Edness said: "I think the people who purchased that property are probably ripe for an offer.

"I would like to see Government get it for the people of Bermuda.'' The long serving UBP MP for Warwick West suggested developing the site as a recreational facility with such amenities as basketball courts and bicycle rentals.

And he said Government could also create low cost "bare bones holiday units'' with "none of the other comforts that you would find in a normal hotel''.

Such a facility would appeal to visiting and local families alike.

"Develop it in a way that families can go there and visit there,'' said Mr.

Edness.

"There are many examples of that kind of facility in other countries. We do not have to re-invent the wheel.

"Our people have a real need hunger for recreational space, obviously because we are such a small island and most of the space on which we used for recreation is used up.'' And he added: "The reason I am speaking now is that I have made calls to several people's offices and haven't received calls back.

"I'm not looking for a political football. I just would like Government to consider it and say yes or no.

"Certainly something's got to be done to that property because it cannot remain in the state it's in.

"My suggestion is for Government to re-purchase it.'' TOURISM TOU