of Assembly which was reported on in Saturday's newspaper.

Bermuda may not be big enough to withtand telecommunications competition, an MP told the House of Assembly on Friday.

Mr. Walter Lister (PLP), commenting on the recent granting of licences to new telephone companies, said: "I'm concerned at the number of companies that the Minister has licensed at this particular point in time, recognising the size of the Bermuda market.'' Mr. Lister then complimented the programme Youth Talk, particularly a recent episode in which reformed drug and alcohol addicts shared their experiences with a television audience.

Mr. Reginald Burrows (PLP) said he had always been a strong supporter of Telco. It provided good service at reasonable rates, he said. He too had not experienced service problems like Mrs. Bell had.

He recognised monopolies could be dangerous but also expressed concerns about Bermuda's small size. He was worried new licensees could be scooping "cream off the top''.

Turning to traffic, Mr. Burrows said he was concerned about the increased speeds on the roads.

And Bermuda had to recognise that alcohol was the Island's biggest problem, he said.

Community Affairs Minister the Hon. Wayne Furbert said he could sympathise with concerns about road congestion, but the number of four-wheeled vehicles on the roads had decreased since 1988.

With the August 15 Independence referendum fast approaching, the PLP was still calling on voters to abstain, Mr. Furbert said.

But he remembered that during the contentious vote on the Stubbs bill to decriminalise gay sex, PLP MPs like Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade felt they were entitled to vote according to their conscience.

"Is he trying to deny the conscience of Bermudian people to vote yes or no?'' Mr. Furbert asked.

Vote either yes or no, but do not abstain, Mr. Furbert said.

Works and Engineering Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons said under the 1941 Bases agreement, as amended in 1980, responsibility for maintenance of the Longbird Bridge remains with the US Government, even after the Base closes on September 1.

An engineering consulting firm had been asked to study the bridge, Mr. Gibbons said. The last known survey, which Government now had a copy of, was completed for in 1989 and said the bridge had a useful life of only ten years.

His Ministry has schemes for a new bridge, but supports for a Watford-style bridge over the same span would extend from halfway down the causeway to the middle of the Airport, he said.

Schemes were being studied, but Government believed the existing bridge had some useful years left.

Shadow Health and Social Services Minister Mr. Nelson Bascome talked of the need for drug programmes in Bermuda.

He also expressed concern that two 13-year-olds were being held in the Co-Ed facility, which he said was inappropriate.

He was also worried about the number of derelict homes creeping up in Bermuda.

Dr. Gibbons said unlike the Opposition, Government did not have "the luxury'' of sitting on the fence on telecommunications policy. It had to take a position.

He cited several examples of countries which had deregulated telecommunications. In each case, he said costs had reduced and service had improved. And the former monopolies were more profitable under competition.

Bermuda was a small place and it could not sustain unlimited competition, he said. "But it is not too small to sustain some competition.'' Government was not saying the existing companies had done a bad job. But looking to the future and changing needs, "we simply cannot rely on the system that has worked for us in the past,'' he said.

Mr. David Dodwell (UBP) said he was pleased at the recent formation of the Bermuda Taxi Federation, bringing together groups with various interests involved in taxis.

He encouraged the federation to do some market research, and to be careful about fare increases being discussed. Without an increase since 1987, Mr.

Dodwell could understand that taxi costs had increased since then.

"I would just encourage them to be very, very careful about the marketplace and recognise the service they provide is key to the hospitality industry,'' he said.

Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge expressed concern about reckless driving by young people, especially on cycles.

While they did not appear to realise they were putting themselves at risk, "they are putting other people on the road at risk,'' he said.

Shadow Education Minister Ms Jennifer Smith said she was concerned to read that Warwick Academy would be adopting a British curriculum upon going private.

It was her understanding that under the Education Act, the permission of the Education Minister was required for a private school to drop the BSSC. She wondered if the Minister had given that permission.

The ability to require private schools to use the BSSC allowed the Minister to compare the performance of students in public and private schools, Ms Smith said.

Warwick Academy's dropping of the BSSC "would leave the rest of the public who are already concerned to further hold the BSSC certificate in disrepute,'' she said. "There will become a greater gulf between students in private education and students in public education.'' Ms Smith then talked about the recently-named board for the senior secondary school at Prospect. The board, which had had no input into how the school was developed, would now be the "buffer'' for any criticism directed at it, she said.

The Minister would be able to say the school had its own board, and he was not responsible.

She hoped that some of those named to the board had their children in public secondary school. Otherwise, "it will carry no validity within the public''.

Referring to earlier calls by the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto (UBP) for anti-stalking laws, Human Affairs Minister the Hon. Jerome Dill said legislation was under consideration.

"We are virtually where we want to be before we bring the legislation to the House, and the domestic violence legislation will be in the up coming session.

The next session will be even more interesting than the last.'' Mr. Dill also addressed Dr. Ewart Brown's alleged breach of the Bermuda Constitution and stated that it was obvious and clear that this was a situation the House "must get to the bottom of''.

Mr. Leon (Jimmy) Williams (PLP) said he was a bit upset with the fact that during this last session of the House there hadn't been "more positive legislation heard.

"The Minister of Works and Engineering stood up giggling and sniggling about the Causeway and it really is not a joking matter to people in the East End,'' he said.

He added that Government had placed all the important issues on the back burner to deal with the Referendum which was put on the front burner.

"Things like the Base closure, crime and drug abuse, visitor arrivals those are the subject matters on the agenda. The Government has not put the needs of the people first,'' Mr. Williams said.

He added that the tension that has built up and the behaviour of Bermudians was affecting visitors to the Island who were caught in the middle. "And it is not just the young people because there are some adults out there too who are acting badly. Are we the Islands of stress? We are definitely not on the right track.'' Mr. Williams also discussed the possible uses of the St. George's Secondary School buildings that were now closed.

"The Salvation Army would like to have an office in the St. George's area and they are looking to use one of the St. George's Secondary School buildings. I hope the Government looks into the area as a location for the Youth Centre.

"The Government has to be made accountable for promises made. Everything seems to come to a standstill until the PLP brings it to the floor.'' Health and Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness said on the issue of Independence the PLP's boycott campaign had injected most of the confusion into the debate.

He also said the Housing Corporation had made efforts to go around and rectify derelict buildings and houses but there were legal problems involved when house owners wanted to improve houses in their own time.

On the issue of drug use and abuse he said Government was trying to develop a master plan.

"We are trying to have a residential treatment facility with improved out-patient treatment services. It is an absolute necessity.

"The selling of drugs is beginning to move in a new direction. Drug dealers have found a more lucrative market among school children in high schools.

There isn't a school in this Country that is not targeted and the Police cannot deal with the problem themselves.

"We need to take it on as a national problem. Not-informed children are vulnerable.'' Mr. Edness also responded to comments made by the Shadow Minister of Health and Social Service Nelson Bascome on the two young boys that were held at the Co-Ed facility.

"We contain young people in the Co-Ed facility for only a short period. Some of these kids are severely disturbed and Sheelagh Cooper (co-chairman of the Coalition for the Protection of Children) does not have the responsibility of trying to stabilise them,'' he said.

Ms Renee Webb (PLP) said since Bermuda had taken over the Airport there was a need to discuss things like having a cover over the Airport to protect passengers from the weather and the need for a shuttle service.

She also said there was a desperate need for a drug treatment facility along with an after-care centre.

"Drug addicts do not have the support necessary to continue rehabilitation.

We have to get the drug situation under control.'' Ms Webb also said she would like to see more security around the House of Assembly when the House is sitting.

"There used to be an officer at the main door but I haven't seen anyone down there lately. And with the increase of guns on the Island we need to be protected.'' Shadow Minister for Youth and Sports Dr. Ewart Brown commented on the lack of funds for sporting organisations on the Island.

"We in Bermuda play games, we don't develop sports,'' he said. "Teams that want to go away and represent Bermuda have to go around looking for the money, the equipment.

"Government needs to develop a structured funding programme for our sports.

Teams face embarrassment as to whether they are able to participate overseas or not.'' Dr. Brown also discussed the need for priority to be given to improving school buildings.

He described his shame when he attended the Warwick Secondary School graduation and noticed a trash can in the gym which was used to catch water leaking through the ceiling, "which was the result of neglect and it should be addressed''.

Minister of Youth and Sport the Hon. Pamela Gordon said Government actively supports all sports in Bermuda.

"But they do not wish the support of the Government so we have to sit on the sidelines,'' she said. "They do have the right to choose.'' Ms Gordon also said that Government determines who it gives funds to on a case by case basis and the merit of the sporting organisations.

She pleaded with the community to give generously to sports and encouraged businesses to continue being supportive. She also said the Bermuda Football Association was in a bind and in need of support.

"I'm asking the community not to withdraw their support because of a problem that cropped up in football,'' she said. "It is not exclusive to that sport.

This is a time to be rallying around sports because it keeps a social balance in the community.''