Government backbencher Dale Butler yesterday criticised the Cabinet for failing to address issues which he feels are of crucial importance to the Island.

And he also labelled "many Bermudians'' as being "hypocritical'' over the question of a national lottery -- one of two issues which he believes Government should be addressing and has so far failed to do so.

Speaking exclusively to The Royal Gazette yesterday the Warwick East MP said he was determined to bring the question of a national lottery and the formation of a national youth commission to the forefront of political debate.

Mr. Butler raised both matters in the House of Assembly last Friday but later admitted that the Government is not interested in examining either issue.

"The PLP are not willing to discuss a national lottery -- for them it is simply not a priority at all'' he said.

"But it is an issue the Country needs to have discussed and it is the responsibility of Government to bring the issue to the forefront and then dispense with it, which ever way, once and for all.

"I think many Bermudians are very hypocritical on the issue. They say they don't want it here in Bermuda, but then they buy tickets overseas and brag about playing slot machines.'' Mr. Butler said the recent resurgence of pyramid schemes suggested that many Bermudians are finding it difficult to live on their wage and claimed that alternative avenues for people to gain wealth are needed.

"It is obvious that many Bermudians are looking for ways to help them make ends meet,'' he said.

"Please be clear that I am not advocating the formation of an actual national lottery but I do believe that the issue deserves a full debate in Parliament.

We have never had a national debate on holding a lottery.'' Mr. Butler also claimed that the PLP's firm stance on income tax further limited the options of Government to raise funds.

"The PLP have completely ruled out income tax, so that will never be an issue,'' he said. "But this heightens the need for just such a debate.

"I suggested that a lottery could be run by a commission and that funds could be used to finance seniors programmes and scholarships.'' Backbencher in attack on Cabinet "After debate we could even decide to run a lottery for say, five years, to see how it goes if it works the way we felt it would,'' he said.

"We could debate it for another three or so years and then decide where to go.'' Looking for more than just talk on his idea for a national youth commission, Mr. Butler stressed the progress that could be made, "relatively quickly'' with his proposal.

He feels very strongly that returning college and university students should be hired over the summer to conduct research on what there is for young people to do on the Island.

"My constituents keep telling me that there is not enough for young people to do,'' he said.

"I suggested in the House that five to seven returning students could be hired to examine what is really out there and then submit their findings in a report to the Premier, the Minister for Youth and Sport and the Minister for Education.'' He noted that the Cayman Islands uses summer students in this way and charged that the Government would be "missing a golden opportunity'' if it did not adopt the idea.

"We have students coming home who have bachelors and masters degrees and who could devote a full six weeks to the research,'' he said. "That would be very valuable.''