A businessman who is vying to become a bulk cement supplier for the Island is appealing to new Minister for Works and Engineering Derrick Burgess to make available existing plans, designs and equipment specifications for the twin silo plant at Dockyard.

By doing so, Clifton Lambert believes he will be able to source replacement parts and equipment to "retrofit" the plant within a matter of weeks and allow his company, Island Cement Limited, to take over the operation.

It would be an alternative solution should his company fail to reach a deal to buy the parts and equipment of current operator the Bermuda Cement Company.

Bermuda Cement Company's lease to use the land will not be extended beyond the end of this year.

However, a last minute agreement in mid-December between Government and the cement company allows it to bring in one final cement shipment in January and sell that cement over the coming weeks.

By doing so, it is hoped the extra few weeks will allow a long-term solution to be found following a breakdown in negotiations between the company and its landlord, Government quango West End Development Corporation.

The cement company is currently up for sale and an announcement regarding the sale of shares owned by boss Jim Butterfield and a number of other shareholders, is imminent.

Late last week, Chris Shanks said he had been approached to take over as general manager of the company by a group of three bidders who are finalising a deal to buy not only Mr. Butterfield's shares in the company, but also those of eight others who have decided to get out of the business after years of protracted discussions with Wedco about the future of the Dockyard operation.

One sticking point in the protracted negotiations between the company and Wedco over the past few years was a requirement for the company to sell a percentage of its shareholdings.

Mr. Butterfield said it was ironic the shareholding of the company is now to be reduced from 12 shareholders to just six, namely Cemex, Bierman's, SAL and the three new, unidentified bidders.

Leaving the scene are Mr. Butterfield and eight others. Mr. Butterfield said: "At least the construction industry will not get tangled up in this fight. I feel very bitter about this. Myself and the other shareholders have been suffering."

The value of the company as a going-concern is generally thought to be anywhere between $1 million and $6 million, dependent on it being granted a further land lease to operate from Dockyard. The value of its facility parts and equipment is $250,000.

The value of the intended share transaction announced last week is not known.

But rival bidder for the company's equipment Mr. Lambert views the sale of shareholdings as merely cosmetic.

He said: "Mr. Butterfield agreeing to sell his interest in BCC to new shareholders appears to be a last-ditch effort to alter their negotiation identity with Government.

"Look at the shareholders; Chris Shanks' father was a founding partner of BCC 43 years ago, Mike Bierman is an existing shareholder. It appears to be different faces but the same people.

"Quite frankly, from my perspective it's unrealistic to believe three experienced businessmen would consider purchasing Jim Butterfield's share interest for $1.2 million without a contingency clause such as 'purchase subject to the renewal of facility lease'."

A constant supply of bulk cement to the Island is crucial to maintain the booming construction sector.

An interruption of cement supply would jepordise hundreds of jobs within a matter of days.

One thing not known is whether a new cement company operator will be required, as the Bermuda Cement Company has previously, to demolish the existing plant and build a new facility nearby in exchange for a 20-year lease.

Mr. Lambert claims he has agreement in principal with global cement supplier Lafarge and Titan Cement and can ensure his company remains 100 percent Bermudian.

He has held talks with Chris Furbert, president of the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU), with a view to having the union take a stake in his organisation.

Regarding his request to Minister Burgess for details of the "existing schemic piping designs and equipment specifications," Mr. Lambert said: "This approach would significantly decrease the transition period and all uncertainty if the new operator cannot realistically negotiate prices and values with BCC.

"The new operator could simply purchase replacement equipment thus retrofitting the plant eliminating BCC's constant doom and gloom publicised threats about the possible operational interruptions of cement."

He said that given six weeks to source and purchase the necessary equipment he and his company could, by working around the clock, have the Dockyard facility up-and-running within a single week.