The said while the State of the Environment Report was a useful educational tool, he dubbed it a ?NATO? Report ? for ?No action, talk only?. ? who is also a member of the Sustainable Development Round Table ? also questioned why there were no demographics or population studies section in the report.

?These reports are not action. When will we see more action?? Mr. Simons asked. ?You produce reports year in and out but don?t face environmental challenges. Population studies are crucial when you look at the environment. People are the worst culprits when it comes to devastating the environment.?

He also it was a ?blatant omission? to leave out the impact of housing developments on the environment.

?To leave such important areas out of the report is totally unacceptable and farcical,? he said. ?Absolutely unconscionable.?

Mr. Simons also asked when the Planning Statement 2002 ? already delayed by four years ? would be released.

He said there was no reason the new Planning Statement could not have been handed out to Parliament yesterday along with Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield?s statement.

?Right now the Planning Department and Planning controls are a mess. Why? There is no vision. They are working on a Plan possibly outdated and outmoded. Bermuda in 1992 is different to Bermuda in 2006. The pressures in 1992 were different than they were today. So I implore the Minister and her excellent team to get the Plan out and produced as soon as possible.?

In 1970, 33 percent of the land was residential and 45 percent was open space, he said, however, today that figure had reversed.

?Every open space is used to build condos or apartments or villas and it must stop,? Mr. Simons said. ?They are sprouting up like mushrooms.?

He said there were plenty of homes, but not many were affordable.

?We can?t allow the continued development of villas on golf courses ? the Southampton Princess and Mid Ocean,? he said. ?That must not happen.?

Soil importation was another hot topic, and while the National Sports Centre continued to say no foreign soil would be imported there, Mr. Simons said he understood Government was still looking in the Caribbean for soil to meet ICC standards.

?If Government is prepared to compromise our environment and plant protection laws for the benefit of a cricket festival then let the people judge,? he said.

Mr. Simons also lamented the uncertain future of polluted Bassett?s Cave at Morgan?s Point, which may never be returned to its former glory according to the report.

?When I read this I thought ?Oh my gracious me?? said Mr. Simons. ?This is a tacit admission that the PLP has no intention to rehabilitate our cave.?

He went on to criticise the Government?s record on addressing environmental issues - and said he would like to see ?some visionary legislation coming forward.?congratulated the Minister on the report which he said gave a synopsis of what should be done which would show if things were moving in the right direction or not in future.

He said that while Bermuda is in a better environmental position than many places, it is important to look to the future.

?We produce probably more garbage per capita then anywhere else in the world? he remarked ? explaining that the amount produced each year would be enough to cover the Island up to two bags deep if laid out. ?We could one day find ourselves drowning in trash,? he warned.