Works and Engineering Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons said he was still weighing his options and had not decided whether he would resign over the merger that would create Bermuda Home.

"I'm a little bit encouraged'' by talks he had heard about involving the principals of the merging companies, Mr. Gibbons said. "I've been very encouraged by the support I've received from the public.'' The realtor said he still saw the merger of the deposit companies and real estate arms of LPG and the Bank of Bermuda as "just a blatant conflict between deposit-taking companies and real estate companies''.

The merger is expected to be consummated in June. If it goes through, Mr.

Gibbons has said he might have to quit Cabinet to devote more time to his real estate business, which he said would be endangered.

Mr. Arthur Haycock, senior vice president of the Bank of Bermuda and incoming president and chief executive officer of Bermuda Home, said talks to resolve conflict of interest concerns were under way with the real estate division of the Chamber of Commerce.

The Bank of Bermuda had conflict of interest policies in place that would be amended to address realtors' concerns, he said.

"The policies really do specifically address the issues between the mortgage lending people and the real estate people,'' he said.

Loans officers would be prohibited from redirecting clients to the realty section or giving any preferential treatment to Bermuda Home realty clients, he said.

It was hoped the policy could be presented at the next meeting, possibly next week. Mr. Thomas Moss, chairman of the real estate division of the Chamber of Commerce, said talks were going well.

Until something was resolved, "we're keeping it behind the scenes'', he said.