Housing Minister David Burch said a decision on where Club Med. squatters would be moved to was coming soon.

The Senator spoke in yesterday's debate on the Housing Ministry's budget in the senate.

He did not elaborate on the issue but said that a decision would be made "very soon". People have been living in the former hotel, which closed in 1988, for months.

Yesterday, The Royal Gazette revealed that many of the residents, who have been on the Bermuda Housing Corporation list for months, have fixed up their apartments and want the Government to help them get running water and electricity instead of kicking them out.

The Senator said: "Do not say that this Government has not made housing a priority

Housing Minister David Burch also refuted allegations that the Government was not spending money on housing and said several developments would begin this year.

In particular he noted that 100-units would be built at the Harbour View Village at Southside and 38-units would be built at Perimeter Lane development.

He also pointed out the 54 condos would be built at the Westcott Road development at Southside in a $3.8 public/private contract with Trinity Construction.

Construction will also begin on the 24-unit Ewing Street mixed use development in Pembroke and the 100-unit affordable housing complex at Ireland Island.

Sen. Burch said the 'geared to income' housing, which began at the 12-unit Butterfield Lane development would also be used in the Perimeter Lane and Ireland Island residences. The Government's geared to income housing scheme means that tenants' rent will be based on their monthly income. They will be charged a quarter of their monthly earnings for their home. A family's economic standing is assessed every two years.

Sen. Burch also said that the BHC also had programmes in place to teach money management so that people would not find themselves falling into arrears.

Opposition Sen. Kim Swan said he was concerned that the Minister had failed to elaborate on the Club Med situation.

He said: "There are a number of people who are there because they have no other option but to be there.

"I applaud the Minister for what he has done but the will from the Government to do something about housing has only occurred under him and on the eve of an election so you have to question their sincerity."

Opposition Sen. Gina Spence-FarmeB>said: "I think it is important for us to remember that a lot of the people out there who are calling for affordable housing do not want to be brushed with a political brush. They just want housing."

She added that she did not believe Government could deal with the Island's housing woes alone and urged church communities, some of which she said had substantial land or money at their disposal, to get involved and help find solutions to the issue.