A new Electronic Vehicle Registration system will be unveiled in April ? making it harder for drivers to use vehicles that are not insured or registered.

Minister of Transport Dr. Ewart Brown said approximately eight percent of vehicles are not licensed or insured when he announced the system yesterday.

He said: ?RFID tags on each vehicle will interact with strategically placed readers around the island to ensure that all vehicles are properly registered, insured and inspected.

?The system operates similar to electronic tolling, popular in high volume traffic centres around the world and will address those vehicle owners who would prefer to break the law by driving around in an unlicensed or uninsured vehicle.?

The new system will also reduce fraud because insurance companies will be able to transfer information directly to TCD.

Dr. Brown also announced that Bermuda will have a modern airport arrival terminal and new fast ferry in the coming years.

In 2006 a team of internationally recognised airport planning consultants evaluated the current airport facilities and identified the areas that need improvement and a 20-year master plan was compiled.

Dr. Brown said: ?It is our desire that arriving visitors at Bermuda International Airport will ultimately be captivated by a state-of-the-art ?signature? terminal, from the moment they step off the airplane.?

He also announced the Ministry had purchased a sixth Catamaran fast ferry, identical to the vessel, in order to meet with growing demand. And that the Ministry was looking to increase trips on the Paget and Warwick routes.

Dr. Brown said Bermuda could also expect more change at the Transport Control Department. Over the past year 1,500 people availed of the online vehicle registration service but this year the target was to get 500 people using the online service every month in order to reduce congestion at TCD.

Meanwhile the the Bermuda register of aircraft saw a 42 percent increase in 2006 and the Department of Maritime Administration has 147 cargo ships and 255 yachts registered.

He also said that amendments to the Merchant Shipping Regulations are expected to result in an additional $275,000 in revenue in 2007.

The Premier also said that Road Safety Council chairman, Dr. Christopher Johnson, will unveil his plan to reduce the number of road deaths on the Island.

He said: ?Sadly, last year?s statistics of the deaths on our roads were very disturbing. Fourteen mothers lost their sons in 2006. And as I have always maintained, one life lost on our roads is one life too many.

?We simply cannot allow such a trend to continue.?