with two Governments, a discouraged community activist claims.

But, after a string of disappointments, there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel, he added.

Flatts Development Committee co-chairman W.A. (Toppy) Cowen was speaking to a gathering of retired professional business people at a luncheon at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club.

He said: "After two years of talks with two Governments you might expect me to say an approved scheme is in place to revitalise and rejuvenate historic Flatts Village.

"In actual fact, after numerous surveys, a public meeting, untold research and monthly development committee meetings not even a pebble has been moved to cause improvements...

"Are we -- the Flatts Development Committee -- discouraged? Speaking on behalf of our 24 members, the answer is an overwhelming yes. We are discouraged but we are determined to press on with our objectives.'' But the new Government has moved to provide them with assistance, revealed Mr.

Cowen.

"After a string of disappointments, we are encouraged that the Minister of Works and Engineering, the Hon. Alex Scott, has assigned Mr. Ottiwell Simmons, Chairman of the Board of Works and Engineering, to assist the development committee in our efforts to revitalise Flatts Village and the surrounding area.'' The committee's main concern evolves around some 15,000 vehicles which flow through the village daily. The village also caters to approximately 125,000 visitors and thousands of residents per year.

Suggestions to deal with the traffic problem include a bridge across Flatts Inlet, sidewalks for pedestrians, a roundabout opposite Palmetto Bay Hotel, traffic calming measures such as speed bumps, grooved pavement, cobbled stones and road-side traffic cameras.

Other objectives of the committee include increasing trade potential for village business people.

Goals to develop this area include refurbishing the public dock near the Shell gas station, installing antique-style street lights and hanging flower baskets, repairing the Brocken Steps at Paradise Lane, improving the bridge by the Aquarium, building a boardwalk between the Aquarium and the village, revamping parking, developing the fish and craft market, banning all trucks from the village and rerouting buses around it.