"for legal reasons'', according to Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott.

The junction, which was changed by the Bermuda Land Development Company (BLDC) in May to accommodate the increased traffic flow to Southside, was described by one man at last week's public meeting at Southside Seventh Day Adventist Church as "somebody's nightmare''.

His comments came after St. George's South MP Rev. Wilbur Lowe Jr. announced that Cabinet would be responding to complaints from residents by taking another stab at the junction.

The man said he wanted know "exact figures'' on how much the roadworks would cost taxpayers and asked: "Who were the designers of that mess? Why didn't they do it right in the first place? It looks like somebody's nightmare and it means that a lot of money is going to be wasted to put it right.'' Mr. Scott said this week: "We are going to review the junction because it has been designed in such a way that it technically blocks the thoroughfare of St.

David's Road proper.

"Because of that, it is possibly a liability to Government should an accident result at that spot.'' Asked if complaints from residents had played any part in the decision to change the junction, Mr. Scott said: "Our main concern was to ensure that it does not pose a legal concern.'' He said the junction would probably be changed in such a way that traffic coming along the Southside road would have to stop, while vehicles on the St.

David's Road would be able to continue on without stopping, as they were able to before.

Mr. Scott said the project should not be "too costly'' and Government hoped some of the BLDC's work could be retained.

HOMEOWNERS APPLY FOR RELIEF TAX Homeowners apply for relief More homeowners have applied for Land Tax relief this year after the annual rental values (ARV) of their properties increased for the first time in a decade last year.

According to Tax Commissioner Heather Jacobs Matthews, the number of applications has increased "somewhat'' over last year, with most of the applicants being elderly persons with limited financial means.

All people over the age of 65 are granted tax relief on the first $40,000 of their ARV. Ms Matthews said only sixteen percent, or 550, of the 3,300 units currently occupied by people in this bracket were paying any land tax at all.

Other homeowners may be entitled to tax relief due to financial hardship or impaired health.

NEW THRIFT SHOP OPENS BUC New thrift shop opens Somerset residents can now shop at a thrift shop "with a difference'' that has opened next door to St. James Church.

AB Place Bargain Corner will assist the Shady Rest Centre's community outreach programme by selling clothes, shoes and household goods.

Organiser Alice Burch said she hoped to sell most of the clothes and shoes in stock quickly so she could focus on selling household goods.

But she stressed she would keep accepting all items, provided they are in good condition.

She said: "It's a thrift shop with a difference.

"We realised we could help more people by opening it.'' The shop is located in a blue house at the corner of Church Valley Lane and Somerset Road and is open Saturdays from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

CASH STOLEN FROM CAR CRM Cash stolen from car Police are investigating the theft of a speaker system and a wallet containing an undisclosed amount of cash from a parked car on Tuesday night.

The complainant said she parked the car on Serpentine Road on Tuesday and left it secured but returned the next morning to find it had been ransacked.

The speaker and wallet, minus the cash, were later recovered.