If public reaction is any indication Finance Minister Grant Gibbons can go home and sleep easy; about the only thing his second budget has generated among the Island populace is one big yawn.

Attempts by The Royal Gazette to gauge public opinion on the 1997-98 Budget ran hard into a wall of indifference. People it seems, have other things on their minds.

Despite its relative digestibility, the budget didn't even make the menu at The Spot Restaurant in downtown Hamilton.

"I haven't keyed into it at all; I'm sorry. I just haven't been paying attention,'' one businessman yesterday told The Royal Gazette before returning to his toast and coffee.

He was not alone; restaurant patrons without exception ignored the Finance Minister's mid-morning performance and refused the chance to comment on what is being billed as Government's "sweetheart'' pre-election budget.

"Well what can you do,'' one woman diner said. "The decisions are made and you've just got to live with them.'' About the only issue causing concern across the streets of Hamilton was Government's five percent increase in vehicle licence fees and ferry and bus fares.

"I think it's a large increase; but then I think even a one percent increase is too much,'' St. David's resident Susana Cardoza said. "The licence fees are high enough as it is. It would be nice if they could raise our pay cheques by five percent too.'' Forty-one-year-old Dwayne Williams agreed: "Can they (licence fees) get any higher; they've got to be among one of the highest in the world as it is.

"I have a Nissan Sentra and it costs me nearly $900 a year to license it now.

Where does it end,'' he said.

By increasing the licensing fee, Government seems set on dissuading people from owning cars, added Mr. Williams. Still, he applauded the decision to lower duties on natural-fibre clothing, jewellery, glass works, and leather goods.

Long-time farmer Latimero Pires listened to the Budget broadcast yesterday morning, but didn't think much of Government's break to elderly bus riders.

"I pay ten cents now for the buses and I appreciate that; that's enough,'' said the 82-year-old Paget resident. "I think the politicians are getting too much as it is.'' "It certainly seems like an election-year budget,'' observed 51-year-old Smith's Parish resident Cynthia Boorman.

"I thought they'd get us on the payroll and sin taxes. I don't think it's fair though to put all the increases on to drivers or those who need transportation,'' she said.

Along with the rest of the Customs' clearance staff at Pitt & Co., Ms Boorman followed the Finance Minister's speech and admitted Government's move to dropping some duties on consumer goods was a step in the right direction.

"Hopefully it will help some of the retailers, but they (Government) still have a lot of work to do. It's a start though,'' she said.

Tony Forster, chief executive officer of the Brittania International Group, agreed Government was playing it safe and keeping its eye on public opinion.

"I think it's a very level-headed Budget; the international companies will be quite pleased because it looks at the cost of fees in Bermuda relative to other offshore jurisdictions.

"It also pays attention to retailer concerns by lowering some duties. Who knows, it may even lead to more tourists spending more,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Forster shrugged off increases in vehicle licences and public transportation fares: "It doesn't worry me a lot. I'm from England where the fees are also very high.'' Southampton resident Alfreda Butler, however, took issue with the fee increase.

"I feel the cost of a licence -- especially for older cars -- should go down the way it does with insurance companies,'' she told The Royal Gazette .

"How much you pay to license the car should be based on the value of the car.'' On the whole, Ms Butler observed, Government with the Budget seemed to be easing itself towards an election: "They always snowball you before the election,'' she added.

For Trimingham's window dresser Judy Rollins, the bad news of higher licence fees were mitigated by good news on lower tariffs on consumer goods.

"I was happy to hear that they'd lowered some of the duties, but I didn't appreciate hearing about the increase in TCD fees.

"I own a car and it's very expensive as it is. (Licence fees) are high enough. I'm not happy, but what can you do.'' To make matters worse the 44-year-old Warwick mother of two also faces higher fares for her children, who frequently travel by Government ferry.

"Looks like I've been hit kind of hard. Those are things that shouldn't go up, especially the things tourists rely on.'' Cynthia Boorman Alfreda Butler Tony Forster Latimero Pires Judy Rollins Dwayne Williams