WALTER Lister yesterday joined the Cabinet and conceded that things looked "gloomy" but stressed he was up for the challenge of improving the situation.

Mr. Lister was sworn in as Minister Without Portfolio in a short ceremony at Government House overseen by Governor Sir John Vereker. Premier Alex Scott said it brought the Cabinet up to its former numerical strength following the resignation last month of former Tourism Minister Ren?e Webb.

"I am happy to serve this Government," Mr. Lister said. "There are challenges ahead, none so great that we can't surmount, in spite of how gloomy it looks."

Joining the Cabinet at a time when the Government was coming in for severe criticism over the Bermuda Housing Corporation scandal and the troubled project to build the Second Senior School did not worry Mr. Lister. "I've been in politics 30 years and I've never known a time when flak wasn't flying," he said.

He said he had not been given a detailed outline of what his responsibilities would be.

"The greatest outline is that he has given me the ability to serve and that's all I want to concentrate on at the moment," Mr. Lister added. "It's a great opportunity and I'm looking forward to it with all gusto."

Mr. Lister is a Progressive Labour Party veteran, who was elected as MP for Sandys South in 1976 and now represents Sandys South Central.

During his time in politics he has served as Opposition Whip, a member of the House and Grounds Committee and as Deputy Speaker of the House.

He managed his own business, the Walter Lister Insurance Agency, for 25 years before his retirement nearly ten years ago. And he has been chairman of the West End Development Corporation since November 1998.

Asked what Mr. Lister would bring to the Cabinet, Premier Scott said: "Just about everything a Premier would want. Experience, he certainly is a loyal party member, he is knowledgeable of Parliamentary procedure and he is an individual whose time has come.

"We need to have the depth of experience he can bring to the Cabinet. There are high expectations of us in the community and Walter is going to help us meet those expectations."

He suggested that Mr. Lister might be in line to take over a Ministry in the future and maybe even become a future Premier.