island of Montserrat to assist aid workers.

Government has given its approval for the Regiment to go to Montserrat, although it is still unclear what specific roles the soldiers will play.

A Government spokesperson said the details of the move were still not spelled out, but it is believed that the soldiers will help with the evacuation of the remaining residents and construction projects.

Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness is spearheading the move along with Deputy Governor Peter Willis.

Mr. Edness did not return phone calls from The Royal Gazette yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Bermuda Red Cross is urging the public to step up its donations to the Montserrat Relief Fund as only $6,500 has been collected so far.

Government has agreed to match monies raised locally up to $50,000.

Bermuda Red Cross administrator Ann Spencer-Arscott said cash donations are critical to the success of the relief work.

"We started an appeal for cash donations because the ports and the airport are inaccessible we cannot get any containers or shipments down there.

"The Montserrat Red Cross had requested cash from us because eventually they are going to have to start rebuilding.

"More importantly, the immediate need is to help to clothe the persons who are taken to Britain because they will not have the proper clothes to deal with the weather over there.

"Funds are also needed to transport people to other Caribbean islands where Red Cross workers are prepared to taken them in and care for them.'' Mrs. Spencer-Arscott said that while the local collection has been somewhat slow she hoped that things would speed up in the near future.

It is understood that the Regiment has already begun its search for volunteers to Montserrat.

So far the British Government has begun to evacuate what remains of the population of Montserrat.

The volcano already has forced authorities to evacuate all but the north of the 39-square-mile island, including Plymouth, the capital. The volcano became active in July 1995 and killed at least ten people in a violent eruption on June 25.

Officials ordered an evacuation from the central towns of Salem, Flemmings, Hope and Olveston, on Saturday, citing an observatory report warning a trend toward "more violent and hazardous behaviour and explosive activity.'' All but about 4,000 of the British colony's 11,000 residents have left since 1995. Most of those remaining are crowded into shelters in the rugged north -- until recently thought safe from the volcano's eruptions.

Yesterday, the British minister responsible for the colony said that he could no longer rule out a cataclysmic event that could engulf the entire island.

See story, Page 6