Single-room housing for men is rapidly disappearing in Bermuda, Shadow Housing Minister Mr. Nelson Bascome declared in the last sitting of the House on Friday.

And he warned that more and more men would have to rely on the services of the Salvation Army.

Mr. Bascome's remarks were made during the question and answer period in the House.

He asked Housing Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness to give the current status of residential care facilities/rehabilitation centres for men which are funded by Government.

He also asked Mr. Edness to reveal the status of Government's arrangements with the Canadian Hotel-Lions Building, which housed homeless men on social assistance.

Responding to the first question, Mr. Edness said Government had established a partnership with community agencies through the Committee on Homelessness.

He said such agencies, including the Salvation Army, provided accommodation and various services to the homeless and others in difficulty.

"Through this partnership, emergency, hostel and transitory accommodation is provided at the 97-bed Salvation Army emergency housing complex,'' Mr. Edness said.

"The Government not only provides financial support for the operation of this facility, but also provided most of the funding for its construction.'' In addition to accommodation and meals that are provided by the Salvation Army, he said, various other services are provided out of the emergency housing complex, including: counselling services provided by Salvation Army; twice weekly counselling services provided by FOCUS which is a group of volunteers who are primarily addiction counsellors; basic life skills training, personal hygiene skills development, and training in personal care which is provided three times a week by St. Brendan's Hospital Community Services Team; Alcoholics Anonymous meetings once a week; and the Salvation Army's 12-step recovery programme which is available once a week.

"Street people have access to shower facilities at the Salvation Army's Harbour Light facility as well as to a twice-weekly lunch service which is provided by the Salvation Army at the Youth Centre on Angle Street,'' Mr.

Edness added.

"Staff from St. Brendan's, together with a group of volunteers, also operate a twice-weekly `drop-in' centre at the Youth Centre.

"The `drop-in' centre provides recreation, supportive counselling, a lunch service and support from the Bermuda Schizophrenia Society.'' He pointed out that the entire accommodation and a care programme was available to men and women.

Mr. Edness said Government's lease arrangement with the Canadian Hotel will be terminated at the end of the year because it was considered "inadequate''.

"No cooking facilities or meal service was provided,'' he said. "Also, it was recognised that the almost `dormitory' style living arrangement did little to preserve the dignity of residents.'' He said the lease also did not "promote or encourage independent and responsible living''.

"All residents have now been rehoused and will be given social assistance, should they remain eligible,'' Mr. Edness added.

But Mr. Bascome pointed out that "only months ago'' Mr. Edness reported that the Canadian Hotel facility was needed.

"He is now saying the opposite,'' he told the House.

"Single-male accommodation is needed, but not this type of facility,'' Mr.

Edness replied.

However, he said, residents had the option of staying there and making leasing arrangements with the owners of the building.

He said in some cases residents chose to return to their homesteads after they received counselling.

"We consider that better than the type of living at that (Canadian Hotel) accommodation.'' But calling the Minister's comments "a gross misrepresentation of facts'' that were stated earlier this year and last year by the Committee on Homelessness, Mr. Bascome said: "We would like to know if Government changed horses in midstream when they realised they were drowning''.

Mr. Edness said Government decided to give up the Canadian Hotel facility because "circumstances have changed and more programmes have been developed''.

MR. NELSON BASCOME -- The Shadow Housing Minister warned that more and more men would have to rely on the services of the Salvation Army.