Party Government, Opposition Health and Social Services spokesman Cole Simons claimed yesterday.

And he said the ruling Progressive Labour Party had delivered just 26 in its 500 days as Government.

Mr. Simons said: "This is not good enough. If this Government adhered to its promise, it would have made more homes available.'' Mr. Simons added that the UBP would have provided the extra homes through refurbishment and new blocks of apartments.

He was speaking in the wake of a 500 Days give-away by Government, which charted its progress since taking office in 1998 and was distributed to every home in Bermuda.

And Mr. Simons said Government's record on the health service was another poor sign.

He added that "only one achievement was forthcoming in the 500 Day report -- a new rate structure for hospital fees to reflect the varying costs of different types of care''.

Mr. Simons said: "This just begins to scratch the surface when it comes to the problems which face the hospital.'' He added that when doctor and Government Minister Ewart Brown described the King Edward VII Hospital as having "horrendous'' problems, alarm bells should have started ringing.

But he added: "It is not just the pay and conditions which sap morale.

Constant interference from politicians has left Bermuda with first-class staff working in a second-class service.'' And he insisted: "This Government is failing to deliver the quality care that the citizens of this Country have the right to expect.

"By now, this Government should have also established and enforced uniform quality care standards across the entire medical industry.

"This would include nursing care, dietary care, testing, both laboratory and diagnostic, for all medical providers.'' Mr. Simons added that Bermuda's small size and wealth should be able to provide a top-notch health service.

He said: "We must ensure that this Government is steadfast in its efforts to ensure that Bermuda's health care is second-to-none and that the hospitals are managed effectively and efficiently.'' Mr. Simons added that -- according to the Government progress report -- Health Minister Nelson Bascome had taken 500 days to visit all the Island's rest homes, with one in St. George's being closed down.

"The Minister needs to manage his time more effectively and deliver more substantive programmes for the majority of our seniors, and not just a handful,'' he said.

"In 500 days this Government has demonstrated that seniors are not a priority.'' And he said Government had failed to live up to its promises to keep seniors who wanted employment in the workforce and to provide affordable health care.

He added that Government had also failed to set up a health insurance scheme for seniors who are healthy and able to continue paying premiums and not delivered a special seniors' centre or adequate pensions.

Mr. Simons said that an elder-care plan was prepared but said neither the plan or key proposals had been detailed.