received universal backing from both sides of the House on Friday.

Newly appointed Environment Minister Harry Soares unveiled plans to buy more than 18 acres of open space land at Abbott's Cliff, Hamilton Parish from the Wilkinson Trust for $1.6 million.

And Works and Engineering Minister C.V. (Jim) Woolridge announced his department had secured a site for the development of the Berkeley Institute in Pembroke in a $1.8 million deal with site owners Belco.

The Abbott's Cliff site will be used as National Park land and represents Government's commitment to increase the number of open space sites on the Island.

Addressing a packed House of Assembly Mr. Soares, MP for Paget West, said the deal was a "win, win, win'' situation.

"The people selling the property are winning because they know the site won't be developed,'' he said.

"The Government is also winning because we know that and the people of Bermuda and tourists are also winning.

"We now have 850 acres in National Parks and what we also want to do is have a National Park system distributed throughout the Island so that everyone can have easy access.'' The PLP's Ottiwell Simmons questioned how the Government had managed to secure the land so cheaply and suggested that the Wilkinson Trust had already been ordered not to develop the site but this was dismissed by Leonard Gibbons for the Government.

Shadow Tourism Minister David Allen said the move could improve Bermuda's status as an ecology tourism centre while veteran UBP MP Quinton Edness congratulated ministers for securing the deal.

"This is a very deliberate programme over the last 25 years to acquire land not only because there was a threat that it might be developed but also to preserve it as park land for children and families to enjoy,'' he said.

Government MPs emphasised that the purchase of the Ridgeway site in Pembroke, which will be used to expand the Berkeley Institute, illustrated Government's commitment to education.

"We are talking about nothing less than the future of our children and the future of our children is being safeguarded here today by this Government,'' former Deputy Premier Jerome Dill said.

The site, across the road from the current Berkeley Institute and adjacent to playing fields, will be paid for in two, interest free instalments.

"Architects are busy working with the education department and it's hoped we will be breaking ground on this site soon,'' Works and Engineering Minister Jim Woolridge said.