Works and Engineering will dedicate more money to staff training in ongoing efforts to Bermudianise the upper echelons of the Ministry, Minister Alex Scott said yesterday.

The Ministry has a $46.2 million dollar budget this year, but Mr. Scott also pointed out that it also directs the budgets for several capital projects which fall under other ministries such as the new Berkeley school.

This year's budget is an increase of roughly $3 million over last year, he said. In addition to training opportunities, Ministry staff received wage increases this year. "Wages have undergone increases that were negotiated,'' he said.

The new fee for disposal of commercial waste at the Tyne's Bay facility is expected to bring an additional $1.5 million to Government coffers, he said.

Commercial waste will now be charged $35 per tonne for disposal.

And Government may find itself much envied by Bermudians, he added, when it is in the position to send bills to BELCO for use of the Tyne's Bay facility which will bring it an additional $1.8 million next year. "I'm waiting for them to fall into arrears,'' he joked.

Mr. Scott pointed out that ash generated at Tyne's Bay is combined with cement to form blocks which are then used for land reclamation at the airport.

The blocks will be used to form a protective perimeter around the airport to protect it from hurricanes and associated storm surges as well to minimise damage risk to the "important asset of the airport terminal.'' The Ministry will also bring in revenue from its water sales. Mr. Scott said that although its water prices have risen over the last two years, the Government still charges considerably less than private water companies.

Last year revenue from water sales was significantly less than expected because of "the wettest autumn since 1979'', he said, and the Ministry has chosen to be conservative in its projections for the amount of revenue it will draw in this year.

Among the capital projects the Ministry will oversee this year is the construction of the new Magistrate's Court building on the corner of Victoria and Court streets next to St. Paul's AME church.

And the Minister told the House that all the bids were in on the construction of the new Berkeley Institute and were currently being evaluated. "Opening up the tender box was a nerve-wracking experience,'' he said, but "meaningful'' tenders had been received.

Building maintenance will also comprise a great deal of the Ministry's work this year. He pointed out that the Ministry oversees some three million square feet of Government space with a $870 million replacement value and that $6.50 per square foot would have to be spent in order to extend the life cycle of the buildings for 40 years.

The ministry will also be making a significant effort this year to move Government offices out of leased spaces and into Government owned, acquired or built facilities.

And the minister hinted that there may be a settlement between the US and UK governments on negotiations over the baselands.

"Hope springs eternal,'' he said.

The life of the bridge will be extended for six years, he said and then hopefully a new bridge will be constructed.

However, several Government members rose to speak of the Ministry's initiatives.

Stanley Morton spoke to the House about the activities of the Purchasing and Tendering Committee.

"We're slowly erasing this misconception that Works and Engineering is a closed shop,'' he said.

Ottiwell Simmons praised the Ministry for its efforts in training and Bermudianisation and said that the new Magistrate's Court project was very "exciting''.