Deplorable conditions at the Island's public rest homes are so critical Government will halt a planned Paget Post Office to fund renovations.

Saying the renovations can "no longer be deferred'' Health Minister Nelson Bascome yesterday told The Royal Gazette that "rest homes come before post offices'' after announcing $670,840 originally budgeted for the much delayed post office had been shifted.

And he announced property bought and later rejected because of its size for the new post office between the Paget Trimmingham's store and the Modern Mart had been authorised to be sold with other unused Government properties to be targeted.

"It is therefore with great regret,'' Mr. Bascome said, "that we announce that funds previously set aside for the new Paget post office will be used to address the immediate and more urgent needs of our senior citizens.'' But damning reports on the conditions of the Island's rest homes have forced Government to do an about face on the funding with millions likely to be spent in the end.

Government had "reluctantly'' decided the best solution was to transfer the funds Mr. Bascome said, adding: "We believe that this decision will, in the long run best serve the interest of the community.'' Mr. Bascome said in the first Progressive Labour Party budget a quarter million dollars had been budgeted for a review of the running of the homes.

The Fire Service also completed a report which recommended the closure of the St. George's Rest Home if renovations were not done soon.

Cabinet was moved by the reviews to give the upgrades "highest priority'', Mr. Bascome said.

"We believe that our senior citizens,'' he continued, "who helped build this country into what it is today, should not have to suffer any longer in places that are inadequate to handle their special needs.'' And he said while the homes had been "crying out'' for renovations over many years, the repairs had been "repeatedly deferred'' under the United Bermuda Party Government.

"It is this Government's belief that the well being of persons who have to be cared for in our senior residences are no longer to be overlooked,'' he said.

"Their well being can no longer be deferred.'' Additional money will have to be budgeted to renovate the Pembroke and Sandys homes in turn.

For more than 20 years, Paget residents, politicians, and postal staff have called for a new building with adequate parking for the Island's least-populated parish.

Planning approval had been secured by the Bermuda College in December to build new classrooms and student accommodation, with a post office/day care centre building bordering South Road.

Just last March, Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott said Government was "actively developing and pursuing'' a new post office and said money had been budgeted.

The new post office would have replaced the current building at the junction of Middle Road and St. Paul's Lane which has cramped space and only three parking bays.

Also see Editorial, Page 4 Elderly come before Post Office Mr. Scott said Works and Engineering had been authorised to sell the Paget property between Trimingham's in Paget and Modern Mart, adding: "We are looking at the estate portfolio, and we are looking to `buy to build'.

"We don't want to be acquiring large amounts of property. With this (making rest homes a priority) the old site can be released now.'' The move is one of the first chances for Government to follow through on promises to get rid of unused and surplus property, while buying property which they currently rent.

The St. George's Rest Home will be closed by the end of March for the renovations, with residents placed in other homes and staff re-employed.

Capacity in the new home will be bumped to between 25 to 30 people, up from a maximum now of ten.

The facility can provide multi-levels of service with two people staying in independent living units, five in the rest home, and ten to 15 in a nursing home unit, based on suitability.

Five people could be placed in skilled nursing with round the clock attendants.

It would join Lefroy House in Sandys Parish and the Continuing Care Unit at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in providing skilled nursing care.

While located in St. George's, the home will have an intake from all of the eastern parishes.

Nelson Bascome: `Senior citizens should not have to suffer any longer' SENIORS SR