A FORMER United Bermuda Party Senator is calling on Social Rehabilitation Minister Dale Butler to apologise to the people of St. George's for remarks he made following the implosion of the former Club Med resort this week, writes Gareth Finighan.

Residents have reportedly expressed concerns about an increase in traffic through the town as a result of debris being transported from the site to the airport dump. Six yard trucks will make up to 4,000 trips ferrying the rubble in the next two months.

Some fear that the heavy traffic and subsequent vibrations could damage historic buildings in the World Heritage Site. According to Kenny Bascome, when told of these concerns about the rubble, Mr. Butler asked: "Would you prefer Government to eat it?"

Yesterday, Mr. Bascome said: "I believe the Minister was speaking out of turn to make such a comment and owes the people of St. George's an apology.

"People have genuine concerns about their property because a lot of the houses are old and not built on very solid foundations. For the Minister to make this sort of comment is just counterproductive."

Government is understood to have investigated the possibility of transporting the rubble by ship, but that option proved to be too costly.