there was a comforting surplus of housing in Bermuda and landlords found that rents were declining. Prosperity brings with it greater demands for housing and right now Bermuda is very prosperous and unemployment is negligible which always encourages people to seek either their own home or better accommodation.

Now, in response to public demand especially from the People's Coalition for Affordable Housing, the new Minister for Health and Family Services, Wayne Furbert, has come up with some quick and innovative solutions to people's needs, especially the needs of single mothers and others with an emergency.

We see Mr. Furbert's multi-pronged attack on the housing problems as just one way that Premier Pamela Gordon's contract with the people can work effectively. This solution is not aimed simply at a small section of needy people in order to get the crisis out of the headlines but at the general array of people who are having difficulties with housing.

As an example, at the US Base lands developments at Southside and Morgan's Point the charitable Bermuda Housing Trust is to develop 71 homes for older people in projects similar to Purvis Park and Elizabeth Hills which will, of course, free up much of the accommodation now occupied by those people.

Initially we were somewhat alarmed at the idea of schools being used for housing but the intent is that such accommodation should be temporary. As long as that intent is carried through and the schools can be turned into comfortable and adequate housing, they are probably better than what some people can find at the moment. However we would not like to see a situation where temporary housing in schools becomes permanent or semi-permanent.

From our point of view, the Bermuda Housing Corporation has been operated for far too long as a business and not as an organisation designed to assist Bermudians and to respond to their need for affordable places to live. The Minister now seems to have broken the Housing Corporation loose from that and the Corporation is to house emergency cases in its own housing stock. The Housing Corporation is also to put units which were for sale up for rent on a temporary basis until the present shortage ends. The Corporation will be funded to encourage first time home owners to create a rental unit in their homes. In addition, there will be attempts to encourage landlords who now have empty premises which they choose not to rent to put those units on the market.

It is hoped that this innovative multi-pronged approach to housing will solve parts of the problem rather quickly. While solutions will rest in the end with market forces, we see the Minister's plan as quick constructive action.