residents of St. David's in the dark over recently approved plans to build an industrial compost facility at the former US Naval Air Station.

The Progressive Labour Party's Leon (Jimmy) Williams initially brought the concerns of a number of St. David's families to the House of Assembly last Friday, claiming their own representative, United Bermuda Party Whip Rick Spurling, had offered no information on what the compost facility would mean to their neighbourhood.

New Hampshire-based Bioferm Compost Systems International was two weeks ago given conditional blessing by the Development Applications Board to build an "in-vessel'' compost facility at Corregidor Avenue, next to Annie's Bay, in St. David's; the DAB ruled, however, no waste could be stored outside.

Bioferm -- operating as Bermuda Compost International Systems -- claims its "in vessel'' technology can turn organic waste into humus-rich soil in only eight days and without the associated smells and vermin problems of conventional composting methods.

"But when people don't know and aren't informed of all the facts, then all they have are their fears and perceptions,'' Mr. Williams yesterday told The Royal Gazette .

"People living in the area approached me because they were concerned their MP -- Rick Spurling -- did not bring it out to them; they had some concerns and no one was talking,'' he said.

In particular residents of the Texas Road area are concerned about the possibility of smell, and some fear the facility will act as a magnet for rats and roaches.

"Nobody wants to stop development; they just want to know what's going on before something pops up in their front yard and it's too late. Just come out, be honest, and tell the people what you plan to do,'' Mr. Williams said.

Compost plan raises concern in St. David's Mr. Spurling was yesterday unavailable to respond to Mr. William's charges, but he was defended on Friday in the House by Minister of the Environment, John Irving Pearman, who reassured Mr. Williams that Bioferm's process was "totally sealed'' and there would be no smell or vermin problems; "it's a controlled environment.'' There were initial concerns about the amount of waste needed to make the facility viable said Mr. Pearman, and there was early resistance from officials at the Department of Works and Engineering, who felt Bioferm would siphon off materials needed for their own composting operation at the Pembroke Dump.

But Bermuda is "soil-starved and composting-type projects are important'' for the well being of the Island, he said.