Government are cracking down on homeless and drug hang-outs by locking up disused publicly owned buildings.

Works and Engineering and Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent said he had recently given the order to lock up empty buildings to avoid a legal liability in case of disaster.

?Someone could be killed, particularly after Fabian ? then they will say how could Government have left them?,? said Mr. DeVent.

?Just because it?s empty it doesn?t mean it?s safe to take up residence.

?I believe there are a number of Government properties where people have moved and taken residence.

?I don?t know how many are staying in them. I do know if there?s any Government property which is not occupied I made every effort to make sure these properties are secured and people don?t begin taking up residence.?

He said properties included those owned by semi-Government organisations such as abandoned buildings out in Southside.

Asked what would happen to homeless people staying in them Mr. DeVent, who is also the Housing Minister, said: ?I am encouraging people to go to the Housing Corporation.?

Recently the Bermuda Counsellors Association took a pre-dawn walk through Hamilton and claimed to have come across at least 28 people sleeping rough.

Mr. DeVent said another reason to get empty buildings under lock and key was to stop buildings being used for illegal activities. ?We are not going to stand for it.?

Bermuda Counsellors Association chairperson Gwendolyn Creary said she understood Government were targeting drug hang-outs.

But she added: ?Where do these people go? Did anyone consider this? How can they be taken care of??

Her group is organising a petition to raise awareness about the plight of the homeless which she urged people to get involved.

The petition can be downloaded from www.bermudacounsellors.bm