Ministers, The Royal Gazette talks to Mr. Leon (Jimmy) Williams, Opposition spokesman on the Environment.

Government should consider establishing a fund to help citizens challenge Planning decisions in court, says Shadow Environment Minister Mr. Leon (Jimmy) Williams.

But the Environment Minister's authority to overturn decisions of the Development Applications Board should not be taken away, Mr. Williams told The Royal Gazette .

"The present system works,'' Mr. Williams said. "I believe the Minister has to be made accountable, because of our Parliamentary system. The buck stops in Parliament.'' Anyone was free to appeal the Minister's decision to the courts, he noted.

"Mind you, it is very expensive. Maybe there should be a fund that is set up for people to object -- where organisations can object to something that is done by an acting Minister or by a Minister.'' Decisions by acting Environment Ministers to overturn DAB decisions have drawn sharp criticism in recent months.

Mr. Williams, who Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade moved to Environment and Planning from Community and Cultural Affairs when he shuffled his Shadow Cabinet recently, said preserving the Island's hills and open areas would be a priority for him.

He welcomed the resurgence of the environmental group Save Open Spaces, which first formed in the early 1980s and recently awoke in response to proposed developments in the Tucker's Town area.

But Mr. Williams said he was not encouraged by comments made by the new Environment Minister, the Hon. Tim Smith, shortly after he took office. Mr.

Smith told The Royal Gazette he had given the Planning Department 60 days to implement a list of changes.

But Mr. Williams, who represents St. George's North, said most of the steps announced by Mr. Smith were merely "cosmetic.'' He cited talk of improvements to the Planning Department waiting room, preparation of a household guide, and posting of a mission statement. Of six items mentioned by Mr. Smith, the only one that was not window dressing was a plan for round table discussions with architects and other professionals.

As far as Premier the Hon. David Saul's plans to explore the seabed around Bermuda for natural resources, the idea had not been fully discussed within the Progressive Labour Party caucus, Mr. Williams said.

However, "we must be very careful when we start to disturb the ocean,'' he said.

He was encouraged by signs that long line fishing was starting in Bermuda, but knew there was still no proper place for fishermen to land their catch and put it on ice.

With the US Base now closed, "Marginal Wharf in St. George's would be an ideal place,'' he said.

First elected to the House of Assembly in 1993, Mr. Williams is single. In his spare time -- he said he has little -- Mr. Williams enjoys tennis, soccer, French cooking, and reading, especially African American literature.

His favourite politicians are British Labour MP Mr. Paul Boetang, American politician Mr. Jesse Jackson, former PLP Leader Mrs. Lois Browne Evans, and current Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade. He also admires former Premier Sir John Swan.

Mr. Williams, who is president of St. George's Enterprises Ltd., attended a hotel school in Nice, France and worked in the hotel business in Bermuda until about five years ago. He would not give his age.

He owns three buildings in King Square, including the now-closed Pub in the Square building. He said he has not been involved in operating Pub in the Square for nearly five years.

St. George's South United Bermuda Party MP Mr. Rick Spurling was "just politicking'' when he said the Club Med should be razed, Mr. Williams said.

"I would want to know what the structure is like up there,'' Mr. Williams said. "Is it a safe structure? I do believe that if Club Med is interested in opening 100 rooms, I think that's an area we should look into.''