Government has hired a British expert on sustainable development to help the Island find the best balance between preserving its beauty and providing for its residents.

Premier Alex Scott yesterday officially introduced Ross Andrews, who has been appointed to the Central Policy Unit as an advisor to Director Warren Jones.

Mr. Andrews was a consultant from the Department of the Environment and Rural Affairs in the UK and also worked for the United Nations.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs defines sustainable development as: ?Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.?

?We have a system of approach in place and have local expertise here,? Premier Alex Scott said yesterday as he introduced Mr. Andrews at a Press conference.

?He has people to talk with and meet with. He will investigate and individuals will direct and guide him.?

CPU is an arm of Cabinet which works on various Government projects for which it can summon experts from around the world or other local ministries.

?This is the broadest topic we have ever addressed,? Mr. Jones said.

?We will be utilising international as well as local expertise but, at the end of the period, we will be getting there together.?

Mr. Andrews has worked with the British Environment and Rural Affairs Minister for the last two years to implement international sustainable development programmes as outlined by the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002.

?We have found somebody who, as young as he is, is very accomplished,? Mr. Jones said.

?I do believe that when his programme is put to Cabinet we will come up with a plan after talking to every major sector related to the subject of sustainable development.?

Mr. Andrews said Bermuda might have something to teach the UK about sustainable development, adding: ?I haven?t arrived here to say I have all the answers.?

There is no problem that is purely environmental, purely economic or purely social as ?they are all linked,? he said.

?I need to work with locals to find out what the issues are.?

He said the sustainable development programmes used in the UK may or may not work in Bermuda.

There were no particular benchmarks he was aiming for, but said it was not ?going to be a question of wiping the slate clean as it ?could be argued Bermuda has a long history on sustainable development?.

?We have to look at where Bermuda is now and look at the future and what is not being addressed,? he said.

He wanted to stress that a development plan was not a document that sits on the shelf. ?A sustainable development plan is something we will all have to buy into,? he said.

?Something Bermudians will implement together.?