A massive reshuffle of Cabinet Ministers and portfolios is part of a new contract with the people of Bermuda, Premier Pamela Gordon said yesterday.

Ms Gordon added: "The changes are, in my opinion, the most significant made in the history of this Government.

"The United Bermuda Party has listened to the electorate and responded to their need for change -- change which demonstrates our understanding of the needs of the community and our willingness to respond.'' And Ms Gordon said: "We are reaching out to the community, embracing them and mobilising them to ensure this Country and it's people reach their full potential.'' She added that her two new Ministries -- Development and Opportunity under ex-Education Minister Jerome Dill and Government and Community Services headed by Sen. Yvette Swan -- were vital to the future of Bermuda.

And she said restructuring of other Ministries would provide "an avenue of one-stop shopping to make the experience of having to deal with Government much easier so it meets their needs.'' She said Mr. Dill's new job -- encompassing the West End Development Company, small businesses and their development, as well as training and human rights -- would work to give hope to Bermudians.

Ms Gordon added: "Many people don't feel they can fit into Bermuda -- that there are no opportunities for them in Bermuda.

"They believe that Bermuda is being taken over by outsiders, although we have a place in the global community whether we like it or not.'' But she said Government had a duty to ensure qualified Bermudians were given every opportunity.

She added: "This Country is still theirs for the taking and we will provide easier access for them to start up.'' And she said entrepreneurs would benefit -- while Mr. Dill's Ministry would also champion the cause of employees held back by racial prejudice or other problems.

She added WEDCO and the Bermuda Land Development Company would also offer jobs and opportunities for the future.

Ms Gordon said: "These are the opportunities people had before, but did not understand the system or how to get access to it.'' She added Sen. Swan's new role -- which combines the old Community and Cultural Affairs job with Government Information and Management and Personnel Services -- would be invaluable in using the community role to explain Government and how to use it to best effect.

Ms Gordon added that the new Health and Family Services Ministry under ex-Transport Minister Wayne Furbert now includes the Housing Corporation and rent control.

And she said Government had launched a drive to bring an estimated 2000 empty homes on to the rental market to provide affordable housing for Bermudians.

She said: "People are concerned about the family, they want a commitment -- housing is a major concern and we understand that.'' Ms Gordon added: "We want to create some incentives to get these houses back on the market -- Bermuda does not have a housing crisis, it has an availability crisis.

"There is an affordability problem but there is an availability problem as well.'' She added she did not want to create ghettos for those on low incomes -- and that she aimed to protect the self-respect of people prepared to pay cheaper rents, but who did not want to take welfare money.

Ms Gordon added that the new-style Environment and Transport Ministries, under Harry Soares and newcomer Erwin Adderley respectively, would work to cut the death toll on the roads and relieve stress caused by overcrowded roads.

But she said increased stress was part of the price of the Island's runaway prosperity.

Ms Gordon added: "Success, by its nature brings stress with it. The price of success, in many cases, is the price of success.

"When success comes, stress comes as well and we are trying to help people deal with the stress.'' Other major changes include moving prisons from Health to Home Affairs and Public Safety under Maxwell Burgess, together with treatment of offenders.

Ms Gordon said: "All these things are tying into the safety and security of our community.'' And she said streamlined Tourism and Education Ministries, with Education losing its human affairs role to Mr. Dill's new Ministry, would allow the Ministers to concentrate on large, but single, responsibilities.

Ms Gordon described Paget East MP Kim Young -- Minister without Portfolio -- as her "troubleshooter'' and "the right hand person of the Premier.'' She said: "We are in a position where none of these Ministries are particularly small.. .the new Minister will assist where necessary and also force follow-up. That's most important.'' And Ms Gordon took a swing at Opposition leader Jennifer Smith's criticism of the changes.

She said: "I find it quite amusing and interesting that, because of the shifts and the shuffles, there concern my team is not sufficiently experienced.

"We are the Government, we have been the Government, we have taken this Country from strength to strength and we have the experience.

"We are hearing the Opposition is the team for the future -- and the entire Opposition has no experience.

"People will say what they need to say because obviously it's beneficial for them, but we are ready to fight and Bermuda is worth fighting for.'' Ms Gordon added that experienced counsel of ex-Ministers like Quinton Edness -- who she praised for his "selflessness'' in giving younger MPs a chance -- would be invaluable to her team.