Ingraham to see how Bermuda can help the hurricane-struck islands.

"I have placed a call and I am awaiting a return call,'' Sir John said. "I want to talk to him (Mr. Ingraham) to find out the extent of the damage and what we can do.'' Sir John said Bermuda would give the Bahamas whatever it could, given the hard economic times.

No estimate on the total damage to the islands has been released.

"We want to do this because Bermuda was spared a disaster,'' he said.

Bermuda gave Montserrat more than $200,000 when Hurricane Hugo smashed into it in September, 1989, and Bermuda Regiment soldiers were flown there and to the British Virgin Islands to help repair damage.

Aid has also been given to other Caribbean islands hit by hurricanes in the past.