Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott kicked off yesterday's department Budget debate by praising the former Government for allowing him to inherit "a well-oiled machine''.

And the Minister also broke with tradition by discussing his department's Budget allocation for just less than one hour -- allowing both PLP colleagues and Opposition members in the House of Assembly plenty of time to raise questions.

Mr. Scott said the department had an excellent training and Bermudianisation programme, with many apprentices and college graduates being drafted into the Ministry for training and careers.

He also added that he hoped Bermudian firms would be willing to submit contracts for any initiatives that were put out to tender.

"We want to establish a whole new culture of young entrepreneurs,'' he said.

"This is not a handout -- it is a hand up. Rather than supporting them we will be just another client for a successful organisation.'' In an often humorous presentation Mr. Scott began by saying that his department swallowed up a considerable slice of the Budget cake and that it was one of the biggest government department employers.

But, like several of his ministerial colleagues, he added that he would be "looking very closely at expanding'' the department's ability to raise revenue.

Estimates for this year predict that the department will spend nearly $43 million -- or eight percent of Government's revenue -- against a revenue estimate of $7.9 million.

"That is just one percent of revenue which, like a Minister's salary, is rather meagre,'' Mr. Scott quipped, much to the amusement of everyone in the chamber.

Mr. Scott went on to say that his was a responsible and influential Ministry, it also depended on the support of the public in order to be effective.

He said that it would be far more cost effective for people to cut their own hedges rather than have Works and Engineering staff do the work and then send a bill.

He also suggested that, while an extra $500,000 had been set aside to pay for the cost of a second weekly garbage collection, it was everyone's responsibility to "keep in place the machinery to maintain the degree of cleanliness and improve the level of cleanliness''.

Mr. Scott added that, on a recent trip to the US -- during which he had lunch with former President Jimmy Carter -- he had discovered that the US authorities were responsible for the maintenance costs of Longbird Bridge until the year 2040.

"This is a very important corridor that affects commerce on this Island,'' he said.

"I want to bring to the attention of our US friends a very important responsibility they still have and that is that they are still responsible for the maintenance of the bridge until 2040,'' Mr. Scott said.

But he added that, despite that potential saving, there was still no plan to build a bridge across Flatts harbour, something that was greeted with approval by the Shadow Minister.

"We don't only have one bridge,'' Mr. Scott said.

"We have 36 bridges and they all have to be maintained. The idea of a construction over Flatts competes with the financial responsibility the Ministry has to maintain all our other bridges. That will have to be something for the future.'' Mr. Scott said that he hoped to see an increase in the amount of recycling on the Island, saying that, while the recycling plant had the capacity to deal with more trash, it wasn't receiving enough.

"Recycling is successful but we wish it to be more successful,'' he said.

"We are looking at launching a campaign to get young people involved and, through their interest, they will interest their parents and encourage parents to become better participants.'' Mr. Scott said that Government was committed to examining the possibility of transferring the recycling plant to a new improved, purpose built premises.

Shadow Works and Engineering Minister C.V. (Jim) Woolridge began his reply in a similar manner to that of many of his shadow colleagues, saying that, because it was largely a UBP budget, there was little that he could criticise.

He agreed with the PLP's proposal to double weekly trash collections and also admitted that the incinerator complex was "a cow barn'' that needed to be re-housed.

But he did express concern that building work at the Berkeley Institute had been temporarily postponed to allow construction on a new Police Station and Court House to commence.

And he also said that not enough cash had been set aside for land reclamation.

"I don't think $1 million is going to get us much -- that's an investment for the future,'' he said.

He also asked that monies be allocated for the training of dry stone wall masons to preserve "an integral part of Bermuda's character''. Mr. Scott was later able to inform him that two apprentices were currently undergoing training courses in the UK.

Mr. Woolridge also urged the Minister to protect the natural beauty of Flatts Harbour, arguing that, not only should there be no new bridge there, but heavy traffic should be kept out and all other traffic restricted to a 15mph speed limit.

"Flatts is one of the most natural little harbours we have and we don't want to look at some man-made thing,'' he said.

"You will be damaging one of the most attractive parts of Bermuda and you see those trucks go through like the Indianapolis speedway.'' Mr. Woolridge also noted that no money had been allocated to find the Paget Post Office a new home, something that the previous administration had already examined.

PLP MP for Warwick West, Elvin James , echoed Mr. Scott's comments that the Ministry had an excellent record in training young Bermudians and added that the department did a wonderful job on the Island's eight golf courses.

Allan Marshall , Shadow Development, Opportunity and Government Services Minister, agreed that the Ministry was a dynamic one, but added that corporate funding could make it more of a Government money-spinner.

"I recommend that the Minister take over a UBP plank which was to make a national treasure of the Railway Trail and look to incorporate corporate involvement,'' he said.

Works and Engineering 1999/00 estimates To manage all public lands, works, water supply, sewerage, buildings and highways; to administer all funds allocated for the construction, erection, improvement, maintenance and repairs of the above and to provide a refuse collection and disposal service.

Budget estimate: $42,851,000 (last year $40,085,000) Revenue: $7,991,000 Budget allocations Works and Engineering $42,851,000 Humorous speech: Alex Scott