A CAMPAIGN to prevent smokers from throwing their butts on streets in Hamilton will see receptacles placed in strategic areas to keep the city clean.The initiative is just one of several new measures planned under recently-elected Mayor Sutherland Madeiros.

As part of his aim to make the City of Hamilton a cleaner and safer place to work and live, he also intends to increase police presence, improve the flow of traffic and encourage more residential development within the area.

"One of the things that concerns me involves the cleanliness of the city," he said. "People think that throwing cigarette butts in the street is not littering. We (the Corporation of Hamilton) are going to do our part in a couple of ways.

"Firstly, we're going to have a more aggressive cleaning programme and, secondly, we're going to be placing around the city in strategic places, receptacles for cigarette butts, some of which may be free-standing and some of which may be attached to buildings."

He said the changes could happen very shortly but the Corporation had to first educate the public on the need for them.

"We're going to do some campaigns. Most people don't realise that the cigarette butts that are dropped around the city, the ones that don't get swept up, end up in the storm drains and are washed into Hamilton Harbour.

"So every time somebody throws a cigarette down, they really are not only polluting the city streets, but they're polluting the harbour. I would urge smokers to be a little more considerate and we will do what we can to provide receptacles."

Mr. Madeiros was sworn in as the new Mayor last week. An alderman prior to the election, he had rejoined the Corporation of Hamilton in April after a six-year break.

The 61 year old beat former Deputy Mayor Sonia Grant by a vote of 161 to 124. The election was called after the sudden death of former Mayor Jay Bluck.

"Jay Bluck was a very good friend of mine," he said. "He had aspirations to serve as Mayor and, I guess, because of my vast experience in the Corporation, he asked whether I would run for a vacant spot on the Corporation and effectively support some of his ideas.

"Unfortunately, after four months, Jay passed away. I felt that I would like to continue his legacy for the rest of the term. We were good friends and my ideas are almost a mirror image of the things he wanted to accomplish."According to Mr. Madeiros, it was Mr. Bluck's desire to improve policing, housing and tourism in the city and he, too, plans to focus on those issues.

"Policing is always first and foremost in the City. We had a delegation from the Corporation meet with Labour Minister Derrick Burgess. They came out of the meeting with a very positive attitude, that he would help us where possible, in trying to get more police on the streets.

"Whether it's a coincidence or not I don't know, but I must say that I have seen more police on the streets policing.

"Prevention is better than cure. We would like to see regular beat policemen who get to know the merchants, who get to know some of the people in Hamilton, who become their friends.

"Let the tourists see them. Let the tourists take photographs of them. There's so many benefits."

A suggestion put forward by the Corporation delegation to the Labour Minister was to have a small contingent of officers based at City Hall, he added.

"I'm not sure how receptive he was to that," he admitted. "And even if anyone agreed to that, we certainly don't have the space at the moment. But that's very important in enforcing other things within the city."

A development application is now being considered by the Planning Department which could see a Ritz-Carlton hotel built on the Par-la-Ville car park.

The proposed hotel would include street level boutique shops along Church Street and Par-la-Ville Road, 150 guest rooms and suites and a further 60 luxury residential apartments including roof top gardens and a swimming pool.

Pressed this week, the Mayor (pictured)<\p>said he was very much in favour of the idea as it was in keeping with his desire to see Hamilton become a more vibrant city.

"I'm in favour of it. We are aggressively pursuing the issue with the developers. But we mutually have agreed that until such time as the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed, that we do not make any official announcement — because it may happen."

Asked whether there was a need for another hotel in the city when those present were not operating at full capacity, Mr. Madeiros insisted there was.

"There are times in Bermuda when you can't get a hotel and there are times in Bermuda when the hotels are empty. This is going to be aimed at the business person but I'm sure the average traveller is also going to be welcome to make a booking there.

"It is also a plan within the hotel, if it is to come to pass, to have a conference centre and all the amenities which business people can expect in a modern hotel, in terms of wireless internet and communications.

"Quite frankly, Bermuda has not had a new hotel for 30 years. If we can bring a brand-name hotel to the island, I don't think it will necessarily hurt anyone.

"I think it will enhance the reputation of the island. It won't be a hotel anywhere near the size of the Princess, if it comes to pass."

His hope is that the number of residences will increase within the city, adding life to its confines and reducing the reliance on cars of individuals who live there.

"We are certainly going to encourage new buildings in Hamilton to encompass some residences.

"We believe that will do a couple of things. It will enhance the city in terms of vibrancy and help make it a living city and secondly, we believe that people who have residences in and around the City of Hamilton may not require cars in the way they would if they lived in Somerset.

"I'm sure they can make alternate arrangements if they go somewhere out of the city. We think that's a positive."

Improvements are also to be made to city roads, while plans are also afoot to increase parking and better manage the flow of traffic.

"The roads will be marked and we will have an aggressive road-paving programme. We are cautious not to take on too many projects at once, but the issue of underground car parking at City Hall is very much on the front- burner.

"I think that most of the Corporation members and most of the public have pretty much spoken in favour of the idea, with a park at ground level with grass and trees and perhaps a fountain and a few benches. I think it would complement City Hall significantly.

"Traffic is always a problem. I think we can make it better but I don't think we can make the traffic less. We've recently had a traffic study done which I think will assist us.

"I've frequently had people telling me about how uncoordinated the traffic lights are. We recently sent two individuals to the UK specifically for that purpose and at some point in time we'll be sending two more people so we can be sure that we set up the lights in a more efficient manner.

"We also believe we should have better enforcement by the traffic officers and we are discussing whether or not the traffic officers should come under the auspices of City Hall, as they once did."

New initiative aims to make City cleaner