intends to make it an independent "quango'', MPs were told on Friday.

Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess also said improvements are on the way for the arrivals building.

As the House of Assembly examined the Transport budget, he revealed moves to relax the law on driving other people's cars.

And he announced research was under way so a campaign could be launched against road deaths.

The Opposition, led by Shadow Minister Mr. Dennis Lister , welcomed the slowdown on Airport privatisation and moves to give drivers greater freedom.

But it slammed Government for a "Band-Aid'' approach to fixing up the Airport, and for not tackling management problems highlighted in an official report.

On Marine and Ports, Mr. Burgess said the number of registered boats was down 934, due to the economic downturn. But staff were clamping down on illegal moorings and getting them registered, so there was an increase there of 60.

There were now 5,022 registered moorings.

He said pilot services were being reviewed with a view to updating and streamlining operations.

Government was looking into transferring East End cruise ship passengers to the West End by tender, and vice versa.

It was negotiating to renew a deal with Meyer and company to use their slipway for maintenance of official vessels. This was needed, as the alternative was to take them to the US.

Mr. Burgess said ferry passengers had increased by about 74,000, to more than 567,000. Integration of buses and ferries was continuing.

He said he wanted to respond to calls for Government to help Bermudians get more jobs on locally-registered ships.

Government would help anyone who wanted to get such a job, but the final decision would be the owner's. He believed Bermudians might not be encouraged by the pay and conditions.

Mr. Lister was concerned at the increase in the number of moorings in some bays. He hoped there was a plan to avoid congestion, once people felt the could afford to put boats back on the water.

He called for lights or reflective material to be added to markers off the West End that were not very visible at night.

He noted the Minister had referred to a projected 50 percent increase in revenue from ferries. Part of this increase was due to fare rises. But although passengers were paying more, they were getting less in return.

The rise in income could pay for the restoration of the early and late ferry services for Somerset commuters, he said.

Mr. Lister suggested young men who got into trouble might benefit from jobs on Bermuda-registered ships, instead of jail terms. A year's stint at sea might help them turn their lives around. Maybe Government could use its influence in this area, he said.

Mr. Burgess said the Shadow Minister's point about the West End markers would be taken on board.

On the ferry runs that had been cut, he said these services had not been used by enough passengers to make them worthwhile. He regretted the inconvenience, but said only 12 to 15 people had been affected.

Turning to the Airport, he said the Civil Aviation Department had been hampered because responsibility for the Civil Air Terminal was spread among various Ministries.

A quango would be a step that would allow the department to be strengthened.

Talks were taking place with the British firm BAA with a view to getting specialist help.

The budget estimates had been put together under the assumption that an airport authority would be set up by April 1 of this year, he said.

With closure of the US Base now looming, this process had been slowed down.

However, ultimate privatisation was still an option.

Government was encouraged by the number of Bermudians offering to play a role in the takeover of US duties at the Airport. These offers were being examined.

Officials were working "feverishly and round the clock'', he said.

He said the new zig-zag line at the arrivals building was working. But the terminal was not designed to take three or four flights at once. Government was being as innovative as it could to alleviate the problem.

The new system of residents' allowances would speed up the lines through Customs, he added.

He admitted the "pre-transportation hall'' -- the final area before the taxi rank -- was embarrassing. Improvements were on the way this season to make it more orderly and respectable.

Mr. Lister said Government should keep control of the Airport as it was the gateway to the economy.

Responsibility should not be "farmed out'' to another body, he said.

He wanted Government to provide the necessary information so Bermudians interested in an Airport career could prepare themselves.

He asked if a "ballpark figure'' was available for the cost of running the Airport after the Americans left. It was necessary for the full cost to be known before responsibility was farmed off, because a quango might not reveal the full breakdown.

He saw from the budget figures that the airport authority would increase fees and charges.

But it would also need a $2 million grant from Government.

Mr. Lister said Government had spent $26 million on what it had promised would be a state-of-the-art departures building. But already, $25,000 was being spent on the outward bound baggage system.

There was frustration, confusion and inefficiency in the management of the terminal, he said. Would these problems be sorted out before it was farmed out? Mr. Harry Soares (UBP) said quangos were very efficient -- like the hospitals board and Wedco.

The PLP were objecting to a small part of the Kindley Field site -- the Civil Air Terminal -- being made a quango. This was just the Opposition being "ornery'', he said, because in their Budget Reply they had suggested an "autonomous institution'' -- a free trade area -- for a much bigger part of the site.

The Rev. Trevor Woolridge (PLP) agreed the taxi despatch area needed attention.

When arriving visitors had pre-paid their transport to their hotel, agency workers needed to be able to make contact with them in a courteous way. This needed to be done in a secure area away from the despatch area.

He said there was confusion among airline employees about who was in charge.

"We can't afford to have the place run shabbily,'' he declared. He complained tiles were coming off the floor in the departures building, and closets had been made into bathrooms because the facilities had not been included earlier.

Mr. Burgess, replying to Mr. Roberts, said an Airport quango would increase charges. Government had to recover as much of its costs as possible.

He was not yet aware how much it would cost to take over US air operations.

Turning to TCD, he praised plans to allow wheelchair-adapted taxis to be imported duty-free.

Mr. Lister pointed out TCD raised $13.8 million and made a profit, but drivers were being hit by fee increases.

He also called for the relaxation of the law regarding motorists driving other people's cars.

This was a "nuisance law'' which could lead to criminalisation of young people and clashes with Police.

He complained Government had banned a certain company's bikes from the road because they "look too fast''. Another company's bikes, which were no different, had been allowed.

"There's a lot of talk in the community as to why this is happening,'' he said.

Mr. Roberts said more road signs were needed and they needed to be more visible.

Mr. Burgess said the Road Safety Council had been asked to examine fatal road accidents over the last five years to see what the victims had in common.

This would help in the designing of a safety campaign, aimed at the people most at risk.

Concerning the law on driving other people's cars, the insurance industry had been asked to help. People could not drive uninsured, he said.

He hoped Cabinet would approve removal of the law when the insurance companies had reported back.

He did not believe the move would necessarily increase traffic, because the law was being widely broken anyway.

He ended the debate by paying tribute to the Island's bus system. It had been praised by tourists in a New York Times article about transport around the world.

Ministry of Transport Ministry responsibility: "To supervise transportation systems in Bermuda.'' Budget estimate: $18,264,000 (last year $19,575,000) Budget allocation Marine and Ports $8,439,000 Civil Aviation $2,340,000 Transport Control Department $1,540,000 Public Transportation Department $5,645,000 Transport HQ $300,000 Revenue $20,097,000