Bermuda?s supply of flu vaccine could be in jeopardy after British authorities sanctioned a major supplier on Tuesday, cutting American?s supply of the vaccine in half.

However, senior medical officer Dr. Brenda Davidson is not panicking yet, saying Bermuda?s supply is due to arrive intact on Monday. The Bermuda Government orders flu shots through the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) from Aventis Pasteur in Canada.

The shots were packaged and ready to go on Monday but due to space on the plane ? the shots must be refrigerated ? the shipment had to be delayed until October 11.

The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that British regulators abruptly suspended the licence of Chiron Corp., the world?s second-leading flu vaccine supplier, for three months citing manufacturing problems - just as flu season is about to begin.

That means Chiron will not be shipping any of its leading Fluvirin flu vaccine anywhere this year, including the 46-48 million doses set aside for the US. The rest of America?s supply, roughly 54 million flu shots, will come from Aventis Pasteur, the world?s leading supplier. Aventis Pasteur does not expect to be able to produce more shots until at least November.

With the news about Chiron, Dr. Davidson said she is now crossing her fingers the Bermuda shipment will be left intact. ?We are waiting to hear,? Dr. Davidson said. ?Obviously I will be anxious until I see them, but I am not panicking. We are expecting them to arrive on the 11th."

A cooler summer has meant that Bermuda residents are putting less demand electrical utility Belco.

In the latest Belco Quarterly Report, president Garry Madeiros said that the peak load on September 15 had fallen from that of the same period last year. ?Our peak load, at this writing, was 109 megawatts on September 15, compared with 114.6 megawatts last summer,? Mr. Madeiros said.

Belco spokesperson Linda Smith said the reason behind the dip in the load was that temperatures had been cooler this summer. ?People are not using as much air conditioning, which is basically the bulk of the summer load,? she said.

Mr. Madeiros said that the average temperature this August was 79.9 degrees Fahrenheit, which was lower than mean temperature last August of 82 degrees. The Quarterly Report also offers the company?s appreciation to local businesses which agreed to participate in its Energy Co-operative Programme.

The programme was put into effect to prevent possible shortages.

?If we get in a situation where demand is very close to capacity, we can call the Co-operative Programme,? said Ms Smith. ?They consist of large customers who have their own generators so that they can produce their own electricity, for their own use, during a period of time when our peak is at its highest.?

She said that she could not release the names of the companies in the programme. ?We ran a test this summer, but we never had to use the programme,? she said.

An informal survey on the streets of Hamilton yesterday found there was little local interest in the US vice-presidential debate which was televised on Tuesday night.

Over 90 percent of people surveyed by The Royal Gazette said they did not watch the debate. Out of 11 people surveyed, only one person reported they had watched the debate. ?Yes, I saw it,? the lone viewer said. ?I thought that not the vice-president (Dick Cheney) but John Edwards won it. But, they are both on the same team, so it?s all a farce.?

Those who did not watch cited a variety of reasons for their lack of fervent interest in the American election campaign. One person said it was ?on too late?. Another said while she did not watch it last night, she is ?rooting for Kerry?.

American media reports last night predicted that Republicans would say that vice-president Cheney won the debate and Democrats would say John Edwards won. Americans will go to the voting booths to elect their next president on November 2.

Bermudian Diane Dismont continues to search for the stem cell match which could save her life, the family reported yesterday.

Ms Dismont?s sister Rhonda Dismont-Seaton thanked those who participated in last weekend?s donor drive by donating money, showing up to be tested or helping to spread the word.

But the media gave the wrong impression that a match had been found for her sister, she said. Reports of a match referred to a previous blood drive which yielded a match for someone else.

The drive for a suitable match for Ms Dismont continues and persons interested in being tested should contact Marian Manuel or Morag Smith at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital blood lab.

?We will continue to search for Diane and in memory of Debria Evans who lost her battle with leukaemia,? Ms Dismont-Seaton said in a Letter to the Editor.

A stem cell transplant could save the life of Ms Dismont, who is believed to be the only person in Bermuda with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) ? a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. She was diagnosed three years ago. Last weekend?s donor drive attracted 229 people.

To date the Bermuda Red Cross has raised over $160,000 for the Hurricane Ivan appeal ? and another $19,000 is expected to be donated today.

Director of the Bermuda Red Cross Ann Spencer-Arscott said XL Capital is donating $19,000 today in addition to $6,000 their staff raised from a grub day held earlier this month, bringing the total to $25,000. XL Capital has requested that all their donated funds go to the island of Grenada, said Ms Spencer-Arscott.

Ms Spencer-Arscott said she would also be collecting monies raised from hurricane relief from Warwick Academy today. Meanwhile, the Haiti appeal has raised over $16,000. ?We are overwhelmed with the generosity pouring in from the public,? Ms Spencer-Arscott said of the donations

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said in a press release that there is still a dire need for funds for the Bahamas and Haiti. Donations can be sent to The Bermuda Red Cross? office on 9 Berry Hill Road, Paget or by telephone at 236-8253 using a credit/debit card.