Former United Bermuda Party Senator Kenneth Bascome is calling on the Government to take the initiative and turn abandoned dormitories at the former Club Med hotel in St. George's into temporary, emergency housing.

Visiting the site this week, Mr. Bascome said there were three, three-storey blocks of dormitories, each with about 48 single rooms. Another block consists of 38 rooms, while another consists of about 24 full-fledged apartments.

The hotel and dormitories have stood vacant for some time after Club Med closed in the early 1990s.

At present a decision is pending by the Government to lease the property to "Renaissance Consortium" who propose building a new hotel in the East End ? something welcomed by both Mayor E. Michael Jones and businesses in this world heritage site.

But Mr. Bascome feels the potential for emergency housing is being wasted while everyone waits for a decision.

"The accommodation is already there, they might as well use it," he said, adding that the facilities would even work as a halfway-house.

"With the housing crisis, I'm saying, the Government should take the initiative, before they become completely uninhabitable," he said, adding that he did no expect a decision on the hotel for at least another six months.

Permanent Secretary of Tourism and Transport, Marc Telemaque said yesterday that there was "no further update" on the proposed hotel development.