Harmful gases from the former Pembroke dump could be putting the lives of residents in the area at risk according to an MP.

And Pembroke East MP Nelson Bascome is calling on Government to carry out a study to find out if incidents of cancer in his constituency are higher than average.

Last night Mr. Bascome said that data to see if there was a link between the dump and cancer was unavailable and that Government should produce statistics on the subject.

"I don't know the figures myself but I noticed that several of my constituents had passed on through cancer,'' he said.

"I don't know if the death rate is higher than the national average because we don't have any statistics but the Government should try to find out.

"Because of the way our health system is set up we don't have the facilities to see how these cancers are caused.

"Now that they're turning the dump into a park all sorts of gases are being released.

"Everything used to be dumped there before the incinerator was set up -- anything from animal carcasses to cars.

"There are gases underground and sometimes there are fires when these gases ignite below the surface.'' Mr. Bascome believes that other areas of the Island could also be cancer hot spots and that increased traffic pollution could be causing a rise in throat cancer.

He claimed that smoke from the Belco stack in Hamilton could also be harmful.

"We've got a lot more traffic on the roads now so there's a lot more pollution,'' he said.

"And people are also probably being affected by smoke from the Belco stack.

The stack doesn't have electro precipitators which can filter out the carcinogenics. What comes out of the incinerator stack is almost steam but at Belco it's just a straight blow.

"Belco has agreed to paint the roofs of houses within a certain radius free of charge because of the fallout -- which could be creating some sort of health problem.

"We need to find out if people are developing cancers in certain areas.'' Newly appointed Health Minister Wayne Furbert said that Government would be looking into the matter.

"There are cancers all over Bermuda, not just in Pembroke East,'' he said.

"I don't know if the gases from the dump are carcinogenic -- I'm not a scientist.

"But certainly we need to find out if the Island as a whole has any higher than average cases of cancers compared with other countries. That's the question we will be asking first but if it's true then we will have to start looking at specific areas.

"This is something that we will be looking into. I know the previous Minister had mentioned it and we will be looking to see if there's something that can be done.'' Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Cann last night would not comment on whether or not gases from the former dump could cause cancer.

"I would need more information before I made a comment on that,'' he said.