on the bases as "Government offices''. New Government offices probably mean an expanding Government department and we are in favour of decreasing the Civil Service.

We would hate to see areas of the base gobbled up for fallow Civil Service usage so that more people can create more forms. The Civil Service will probably want first pick of the facilities available at the bases and will then want them converted at a multi-million dollar cost to Bermudians. We thought Government intended to use the bases to replace lost military income and not to create additional public cost.

It seems to us that public opinion is changing. People today, probably thanks to the recession, are much more conscious of Government spending and much more concerned about public waste. They will be watching to see how Government maximises the bases to Bermuda's benefit and they will be watching to see if the bases become an excuse for expanding an already bloated Government.

There is also a second factor. Only a few years ago Bermudians appeared not to be very interested in preventing development. But the people have perceived a number of major abuses of development power recently. People were especially alarmed by ministers and acting ministers over-ruling the decision of the Development Applications Board on controversial projects when there had been no obvious malfunction.

Today concern is growing and Government should recognise the people's concern which could easily turn to anger. Bermudians do not want Bermuda exploited. It is true that the use plan sets aside some base areas as "land bank''. However much of that area is the hard to access old north-south runway into Castle Harbour where the US Government once housed atomic weapons. We think people will want more than that saved for their grandchildren.

One danger to Bermuda's environment is that very few politicians seem to be interested in conservation. They are bent on getting elected today and never mind the future. We find that very strange in an era of great environmental concern.

There is constant public fear that politicians make deals behind closed doors to develop Bermuda. A way has to be found to demonstrate that the planning process is fair and open. One improvement would be the abolition of the minister's right to over-rule the Development Applications Board. Any over-rule, especially if other politicians are involved as they were in the Underwater Exploration Institute, will always generate great public suspicion.

We fear that politicians may bring pressure to exploit the bases lands for today and never mind about the future. They might do that simply because instant success and a high economy produces votes.

A second danger is that conservation is a concept which is generally supported by the public but which gets rejected when its demands become specific. It is human nature, but many Bermudians are in support of conservation only as long as that conservation does not apply to their land. It is that attitude which encourages politicians to meet a voter's wishes and too often politicians try to provide instant gratification for their constituents. We can only hope that the bases lands will not be exploited for today.

Bermudians have a habit of not reacting to schemes at the planning stage. They get concerned when they see things happening and that is often too late. A good many are concerned only now about the bulldozers at Ship's Hill, Tucker's Town, but they said very little before the bulldozers arrived. We can only hope that people are paying close attention to this "broad use plan'' for the bases. Dr. Grant Gibbons is inviting input. We hope Bermudians will have their say now rather than later.