GOVERNMENT is treating the island's senior residents as "second-class citizens", Shadow Community Affairs Minister Louise Jackson has charged.

Mrs. Jackson yesterday accused Government of dragging its feet on restoration work at the Devonshire and Lefroy House senior rest homes, both damaged during Hurricane Fabian.

"This situation has been going on for three months and Government has yet to fix these places. Everything else has been fixed around the island but as usual it seems as though senior citizens are being treated as second-class citizens and are the last to get taken care of."

Mrs. Jackson said it was paramount Government acted swiftly in making the necessary repairs to the damaged properties due to a current shortage of facilities to house the island's senior citizens.

"I am really upset about it and you keep thinking, well tomorrow it's (repairs) going to happen and then it doesn't. And there's a shortage of rest homes here because there isn't one in St. George's and there are people who are very desperate out there," she said.

The United Bermuda Party MP added: "It's just another situation of why aren't our senior citizens being taken care of. Just about everyone else's homes are pretty well straight except these senior citizens' homes.

"They are subsidised by the Government and no one should have to be consistently prodding Government to take care of these homes ? and I really feel sorry for them."

The Devonshire rest home has been closed down and its occupants temporarily relocated, while Lefroy House on Ireland Ireland is running below capacity after suffering partial damage during Fabian. The old parish rest home in St. George's shut its doors to the public last year.

When contacted yesterday, Minister for Health & Family Services Patrice Minors said Government was working "expeditiously" to have the damaged facilities restored in the near future.

She said: "Devonshire rest home comes under the Devonshire Parish Council and I know for a fact that they are proceeding with having that building restored to its former state as soon as possible.

"The council are aware of the damage obviously because they have relocated its residents to various rest homes throughout the island, and we are working as expeditiously as possible in having the facility fixed."

As for Lefroy House, Mrs. Minors said: "I actually saw the damage myself as a result of Hurricane Fabian, and I know the appropriate authority (Ministry of Works & Engineering) have been notified of the damage and are working toward bringing about the appropriate renovations.

"Residents there have been relocated to another section of the building due to damages on the property. But I don't believe it is of any endangerment to any of the seniors that reside at the facility."