six years ago when faced with the problem of loitering which many local liquor and food merchants suffer today.

He took matters into his own hands and endeavoured to clean up the area and turn it into what he believed it should be -- park land for the enjoyment of visitors and residents alike.

Today, thanks to the Aguiar family's efforts, along with Keep Bermuda Beautiful and the Parks Department, the South Shore Road area opposite his store has been tidied up and is a popular scenic viewing and photography point for visitors and locals.

And every month, Mr. Aguiar and his "crew'', venture out to ensure the area stays attractive.

They pick up all litter on the stretch of road near their store.

Mr. Aguiar considers the immediate neighbourhood surrounding his store his responsibility.

"If everyone in Bermuda did a similar thing, Bermuda would be far more litter free,'' he said.

Mr. Aguiar felt that if there was litter or unruly and unkempt people gathering, it was his job to clean-up and disperse them.

The loiterers, a cross section of up to 30 homeless, "rummies'' and others who gathered mostly in the nearby bus shelter, also reflected badly on his store when it came to liquor-licence-renewal time.

"People would say they were buying and drinking liquor from the store, when much of the time they weren't drinking at all,'' Mr. Aguiar said.

"The bushes used to grow over the bus shelter, and it was always filled with litter -- cans and bottles. People used to throw whole trash bags into the shelter.'' Continued vigilance by the Aguiars and store staff finally chased away the loiterers.

Mr. Aguiar would go over and ask them to leave the area every time he noticed them loitering there or becoming abusive.

"I would suggest they move away. Most of them did not even live in the area,'' he said. "They would threaten not to come to my store. And I used to invite them to shop elsewhere then. On several occasions it got physical.'' But Mr. Aguiar and his brothers did not let the loiterers intimidate them, even though he admits it "got quite frightening'' at times.

Eventually they left the area, to the point, he said, "It is open, clear and clean now and there is no problem with loiterers at all''.

KEEPING WATCH -- Mr. Alfred Aguiar, his sons, and staff managed to drive loiterers out of the area, near the store and Spittal Pond, that was fast becoming an eyesore.

BUSINESS BUC