Progress was made last week on the issue of the former baselands and the toxic waste dump left there by the Americans, insists Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott.

Mr. Scott, whose portfolio includes the former baselands, said that he was "tremendously encouraged" by Baroness Amos' comments that Britain will provide technical assistance toward cleaning up the waste.

"I do believe we are well positioned to make sound judgements on the options. We are certainly better off than we were when we first came into government," the Minister said.

"We are certainly better off since signing the agreement - with the public statement that the British are prepared to help."

He added that Government was also in a position to look to the private sector but a decision had not yet been made.

Mr. Scott said he could not respond to comments made by former Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson this week because he had not been part of the bases talks at the time.

Mr. Hodgson said that Government should pressure Britain to pay the clean up costs and that when he had responsibility for the former baselands he had made it clear in negotiations that Bermuda expected Britain to pay the bill.

Critics of the deal, which netted the Island $11 million for the maintenance of Longbird Bridge and assurances of US assistance for the Bermuda Regiment and other areas, have insisted that the taxpayer will have to pay for the cleanup.

The Minister has responded by saying there were a number of options and that the cost burden need not fall on the taxpayer.

The handover deal signed in Washington D.C. last month ended the 99 year lease of the Southside and Morgan's Point properties, 38 years ahead of schedule.

But, with asbestos, heavy metals and 500,000 gallons of jet fuel left in Bassett's Cave, concerns have been raised about the financial and health cost of environmental degradation caused by the Americans.

Yesterday Mr. Scott said that Baroness Amos' comments on the baselands marked the first time that the British Government had made a public statement on what specific role they will play with regard to the environmental damage.

"Government has always known there was a role for Britain to play. She (Amos) stepped up to the wicket and said that Britain is willing to provide technical assistance."

The junior Minister for the Overseas Territories told The Royal Gazette that Britain will not be footing the bill for the clean-up but will provide technical assistance.

"She didn't say we have washed our hands of it," the Minister pointed out.

And he said asking whether Britain was prepared to pay for the clean-up was akin to asking `have you stopped beating your wife ?'

"You ask any Government `are you going to be a paymaster ?' the obvious answer is the one she gave."

An "objective observer" would realise that Government had achieved a lot on the bases issue, he added.

He took issue with previous reports that he had said that Britain could be asked to pay the clean-up bill.

"I have always said there is a role for Britain to play - that we could look to Britain for assistance. It was for the British to be more specific."

Mr. Scott could not elaborate on what technical assistance will be provided. He said he did not meet with Baroness Amos when she was here last week.

He said her commitment to provide technical assistance was just the latest piece of good news on the issue.

And he reminded The Royal Gazette that at least one developer had gone on the public record to say that they will be willing to pay the clean-up bill.

The technical assistance provided by Britain could be helpful in developing proposals "for any developer to remediate the site".

"I am not saying we are going to accept the proposals from the developers," the Minister cautioned.

Alan Burland, president of BEAM Limited a prospective developer of the Naval annex site in Southampton, now known as Morgan's Point, told the Bermuda Sun last month that his company had come up with a plan to clean up the waste for less than $10 million.

Based on a study commissioned more than five years ago by the former Government, the United Bermuda Party (UBP) believes the cost could be significantly higher.

Mr. Scott, however, has consistently maintained that the development of new technology would have reduced the cost of remediation.

Yesterday he said the cost could be less than $10 million, but a number of factors would qualify that estimate.

Asked about the extent of the damage, he said that depended on "whose report you read". But "we do want to protect the water lens in the West End from any possible environmental degradation. In that regard we would take every step to ensure the water lens is protected".