Former US president Jimmy Carter was welcomed with a standing ovation yesterday at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute where he launched the Bermuda branch of Habitat for Humanity.

Mr. Carter, who is visiting his Bermuda resident son Jack and wife Elizabeth, is hoping to add to the local stock of affordable housing through his endorsement.

Unlike other Habitat projects, the Bermuda chapter does not intend to build low-income housing. The group will instead focus on renovating substandard housing on Island.

Before introducing his father, Jack Carter said Habitat for Humanity of Bermuda recognised Bermuda's "acute need for affordable housing''.

And he said, in assessing the problem in Bermuda, the group looked at other high-cost areas such as Silicon Valley, California.

Jimmy Carter took the stage following a video presentation about Habitat and the US-based Carter Centre.

He said: "The greatest challenge the world faces in this millennium is the chasm between the rich and poor people on Earth -- and the chasm is growing.

About 1.2 billion people live on less than $1 a day.'' "Most of us, as human beings, are coming to recognise how blessed we are with security, relative wealth, children who are safe and well educated, with a decent place to live.

"Most of the world does not share any of those blessings... and religious faith causes us to reach across the chasm that separates the rich from the poor,'' he added.

Mr. Carter said under the Bermuda Habitat programme, the sponsored family must put in hundreds of hours of work into their own home.

In this way, the family develops a sense of ownership and does not feel like the renovations were a hand-out from wealthy philanthropists.

Mr. Carter said in this way, Habitat Bermuda would help "people living in places that are somewhat embarrassing to fellow citizens''.

He added that last year Habitat went to the Philippines with 13,000 volunteers who built 293 homes -- and said this year's project was to build 100,000 homes in the ghetto areas of New York.

"It's an exhilarating and gratifying experience,'' he noted.

Mr. Carter, a Democratic US president from 1976-80, became involved in Habitat in 1984 when he led a work group renovating a New York Apartment block.

Under the new initiative, local homeowners who need assistance will apply through churches or community organisations to Sheelagh Cooper.

The organisation would then sponsor a project through financial and volunteer support.

The homeowner will pay the cost of renovations through a Habitat Bermuda no-interest loan.

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, Christian-based ecumenical movement which has built more than 90,000 houses worldwide.

To become a Habitat volunteer, contact Charles Hollis on 295-4513; to make financial donations contact Jim Stanard on 295-4513; and to donate building materials contact Alan Burland on 292-2288.

Exploratory talks : Former US president Jimmy Carter (left) along with former Premier John Swan and Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute director Ralph Richardson listen as BUEI chair Michael Collier explains to Mr. Carter how the advanced diving suit works.

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