THE public appears to be embracing the concept of sustainable development, according to a top civil servant.

Assistant Cabinet Secretary Kenneth Dill said he believed residents were "conscious of the issues facing the island ? those unsustainable trends which must be addressed, and they are aware that there are linkages in all that we do".

Mr. Dill spoke out after sitting on a panel at the second public forum on the draft sustainable development report.

Last month Government produced a raft of proposals outlining ways in which the island should plan for the future, contained in the report . That document was compiled by a team representing a host of organisations following more than a year of research and consultation. A second consultative session is now under way before the final plan will be drawn up.

Mr. Dill told the : "There was an excellent turnout to the public meeting. The discussion was lively, the public was engaged, and the audience members were truly concerned about our island.

"The public have got onboard, and I think the first two meetings are a good indication of the public's buy-in to this process. Through the development of this entire process, the public has been kept abreast of the progress on the Plan.

"Bermudians, I believe, are more aware of sustainable development generally, and although they may not still be 100 per cent familiar with its formal definition, they are conscious of the issues facing the island ? those unsustainable trends which must be addressed, and they are aware that there are linkages in all that we do."

HE added: "The underlying trend running through most definitions of sustainable development is a consciousness of how actions that we carry out today will impact on societies at present and into the future. The Sustainable Development Project is intended to create a system by which to monitor, analyse and manage changes to Bermuda.

"It will create a framework within which to make wise, long-term decisions for our future, guided by some basic principles, such as equality and opportunity for all, a stable economy, and maintenance of Bermuda's unique culture, environment and heritage.

"Sustainable development is about taking a holistic approach to future decision making. I liken sustainable development to just plain common sense planning for the future."

Mr. Dill backed Premier Alex Scott's claim that, in order for any sustainable development policy to be successful, the public must get involved.

"It's never too late to plan for our future," he said.

"Let's remember that Bermuda itself is in a much better state than a number of other countries, but we do have some pressing issues that have to be addressed holistically and planned for in the future. I am convinced that individual small changes, made collectively, will have a huge positive impact on our Island.

"I think it has also highlighted the fact that we cannot take things for granted. Additionally, it is requiring people sit up and think about what their individual actions are, and what they can do to make changes."