commission set up by Government to guard the Country's unique local flavour.

Government said in Friday's Throne Speech that it intends to table legislation "to guard cultural property and establish a Cultural Commission to advise the Minister''.

On Friday Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Terry Lister stated: "The intent is to ensure that the culture of Bermuda is not lost.

"The Commission will study Bermuda's hard assets -- the things you can reach out and touch -- to identify and catalogue aspects of our culture.

"It will build walls around these assets -- not in a real sense, but to protect them,'' he added.

Mr. Lister said the Commission would be established in "the very near future''.

He noted that although a chairman for the Commission had not yet been settled, Mr. Lister said there was a "great likelihood'' that a Government backbencher with an arts-related background would be selected for the post.

The PLP platform promised to enhance a Bermudian sense of identity through encouraging culture through the arts, architecture, social organisations, sports, and folklore.

And the platform said the Cultural Commission would investigate establishing a National Museum to document Bermuda's history, culture, ethnology and art.

Shadow Cultural Affairs Minister Allan Marshall declined to comment until he was able to fully probe the issue.