Full-time ministers will be introduced and the size of Cabinet reduced, but in a step-by-step process, Premier Alex Scott said yesterday.

Mr. Scott could not give a timetable for the introduction of full-time ministers nor how much their salary would be, as this had to be decided by the Ministry of Finance.

Nor could he say how many ministries there will be, although he hopes the size of Cabinet will continue to be pared down.

But he warned Bermudians not to expect full-time ministers overnight.

In the Throne Speech, Governor Sir John Vereker said: "As a sophisticated community and premier jurisdiction for international business, the Government believes it is no longer appropriate for ministers to serve on a part-time basis, therefore the Government will begin the process of establishing full-time ministers."

Afterwards Mr. Scott told The Royal Gazette: "We have begun the process. Don't look for all (Cabinet) members to be full-time on Monday morning, it will probably be a step-by-step process.

"The sense is that it will probably be sequential. We have taken a step in that direction.

"In the last House there were 13 ministers, now its 12 and we will keep an administrative eye on ways we can contract the Cabinet, without doing injury to our legislative programme.

"We have contracted Cabinet and simultaneously (we will be) bringing in ministers for these larger ministries."