install a VHF radio antenna at the west end of the Island.

But the move will not go unopposed as St. Anne's Road residents have sent a 30-name petition and written statement against the scheme to the Planning Department.

Works Minister Leonard Gibbons said last night: "The installation is needed by Harbour Radio to cover the waters at the west end of the Island with VHF radio.'' He added that Sentinel Hill in Southampton was a high spot which had been used for aerials for years.

Recently it was the site of a US tracking station and then a giant satellite dish had a short lived spell on the spot after being erected by Bermuda Cablevision Ltd.

Area resident Harley Hayward led objections against the "big and ugly'' dish which was removed.

He has now formulated a petition against the tower which has been delivered to the Planning Department.

He told The Royal Gazette he had garnered 30 signatures from residents in the area who were also upset about the planned construction of the tower in the middle of the high density area.

"The only people who did not sign the petition,'' he continued, "were the ones who weren't home when I went around.'' Mr. Gibbons said the 20-foot tower would "facilitate communications with boats on the South Shore that are as far out as Argus Tower at the west end of the Island''.

He stressed that the tower was "vital to Harbour Radio for the good management of their air-sea rescue services''.

"If someone is out there in a boat and gets in trouble, he needs to be able to talk to someone.''