hiring of a consortium of local and foreign firms to help it determine the best uses of the vacated military lands.

The international firm of EDAW was chosen over 13 others for the $296,000 job of advising Government on which parts should be made available for industrial use, which kept as open space, which used for recreational purposes and so on.

Management and Technology Minister the Hon. Grant Gibbons, who heads the team, made the announcement in the House of Assembly on Friday.

He said two local firms were hired to work under EDAW: Barker and Linberg, which helped redesign Dockyard and Woodbourne Associates engineers and surveyors.

Dr. Gibbons noted his team passed their first hurdle last month with the hiring of Serco to manage air operations and other airport services falling into Bermuda's lap as the American troops withdraw.

EDAW was a planning, design and economic research firm with more than 50 years experience in military facility re-use projects, he said.

It had offices in Europe, the United States and Australia.

The firm planned to start work in January and has agreed to complete the task within four months.

Dr. Gibbons said EDAW had prepared re-use plans for military bases in the wake of the end of the Cold War era in Britain, Germany, Greece and the United States, including the Mare Island Naval Shipyard and Myrtle Beach Air Force Base.

"EDAW was selected as the best of a total of 13 proposals, which included many well-respected local and international firms, by a review group of the Base Utilisation Committee led by Mr. Peter Adwick, assistant director for Forward Planning,'' he said.

Others on the selection team included hospitals board head Mrs. Sheila Manderson, Government economic advisor Mr. Philip Compton, former finance secretary Dr. Idwal Wyn Hughes and architect Mr. John Gardner.

Dr. Gibbons said the recommendation was confirmed at a meeting of senior Government Ministers and others involved in the Bases Transition Team.

"EDAW is to prepare a strategic assessment of issues and options, to prepare land use plans and a development strategy for all Base lands with the exception of HMS Malabar which...will be turned over to Wedco,'' Dr. Gibbons said.

The Government asked the consortium to keep several objectives in mind including to establish Government and the community's goals for use of the Base lands.

He added: "I believe we are making good progress in our efforts to deal with the hand-over of Base lands to Bermuda. Much remains to be done, but I have every confidence that we are on the right path to a re-integration of the Bases lands in ways which will both benefit and improve the Country.'' The Hon. Grant Gibbons