Bermuda is in danger of developing an underclass if it does not help its homeless population, Deputy Opposition Leader warned yesterday.

The Shadow Home Affairs Minister spoke out at a House of Assembly debate on the Government?s Budget plans for the Ministry of Works and Engineering and Housing.

Referring to the likely closure today of the condemned Canadian Hotel, he said the Government needed to think about where to house its inhabitants in the long term. The closure has now been delayed until Thursday.

?We have got to reach down and pull up our brother who is less fortunate than us,? he said. ?You build an underclass if you are not careful. We have got to be careful who we leave behind. We have got to care for the least of us.?

Earlier, his Opposition colleague attacked the Government for failing to help the homeless.

?This is the Government that doesn?t care,? he shouted. ?People are in crisis now. They are living in cars, hotels, dumpsters, parks, the Club Med.?

The Shadow Works and Engineering Minister suggested the Canadian Hotel residents be housed on a cruise ship.

?Just as they did in New Orleans, can?t you rent a cruise ship?? he asked. ?This would take the pressure off of us to do something and then we can step back and see how are we going to deal with this issue.?

Opposition Leader said the Government had known the Canadian Hotel would be condemned since 2002 but had failed to build houses for the men living there.

Finance Minister praised the cruise ship idea but said the cost of such a scheme would prove prohibitive.

?I thought it was interesting thinking outside of the box,? she said, before adding that the New Orleans ship had cost more than $230 million.