the US bases, especially at Kindley Field, which it is unwilling to rent to people in need of housing. Quite naturally people who pass by on the St.

David's Road or who use the roads to Clearwater Beach see the empty houses and question why they cannot be used by Bermudians.

It is difficult to know just how many people are in need of housing. Just a few years ago as non-Bermudian workers left in the midst of the recession there was a surplus of local housing. That situation seems to have changed and it is very clear now that housing is tight and rents have risen considerably in the past few years. Some of those looking for housing may in fact be housed but at rents which they cannot really afford.

It has to be recognised that over the years Government, through the Bermuda Housing Corporation, has done a quite remarkable job of building housing and providing it for both rent and for sale to Bermudians. The number of single parent families and the pressures on young people to get a land valuation number so that they can own a car, greatly impact on the problem. Fluctuations in demand make housing a very difficult problem to solve. The fact is that high costs of construction mean that only Government can build low rent housing because the price precludes private investors.

The truth of the base lands is that they have to be developed in a way which will benefit all Bermudians and such development takes careful planning and it takes time.

The problem with the base houses seems to be that while they look reasonable from a distance many of them were poorly built, have been hard used over the years and are not now in acceptable condition. There are also problems with such things as water supply, sewage and electricity meters.

But that is not an explanation which is going to be accepted quickly or easily by Bermudians in need. Many of them feel that they are being deprived of access to the houses for reasons which they cannot understand. They need housing. They can see empty houses. They are bound to feel that those houses are under Government's control and should be made available.

Their perception is that Government could help them but refuses to do so. Such perceptions in a small community are unhealthy and disruptive. It is never wise to have a group of people who feel, no matter how incorrect the perception may be, that they are being badly done by.

We feel Government should explain the reasons for not using the houses and the policy on base lands in a way which will at least relieve the anger. Once again we seem to be in a position where Government is moving ahead in a sensible way but is failing to tell the people why certain decisions are being made.