residents have seen their dwellings deteriorate before their eyes.

And the culprits are termites.

The homeowners all purchased the Frog Lane homes from the Government.

One woman, who did not wish to be identified, said termites usually drop from her ceiling in her front-room and kitchen.

And she said the creatures had eaten away at the outside beams of her home.

The woman said she had lived in the home for 16 years and bought the house from the Government eight years ago.

"I think the termites are in the ceiling,'' she said. "The (tenants) committee looked at it in either March or April and he said there was extensive damage and I would have to move out for a few days while the place was covered by a tent.'' The woman admitted that she had noticed "stuff'' falling from the ceiling before she bought the house but said she did not know what it was.

"I thought that there was just something up in the ceiling that was making it come down,'' she explained. "It has gotten worse over the years.'' And the woman said she cannot sell the house due to a clause in her contract.

"I can't sell this house for ten years on the open market,'' she said. "I can sell it back to housing but for the same price I bought it.'' The woman also complained that the house was a "fortress for insects'' and was often flooded when there was heavy rain.

"I've lost carpet and tiles due to flooding,'' she said.

Another homeowner, who also requested anonymity, said the problem was widespread among the development.

"The majority of all the Frog Lane homeowners have termites,'' she said.

"I've been told by others that they have them up in their ceiling and attics.'' The woman, who purchased her home a year-and-a-half ago, said she first noticed the wood-eating creatures two months ago.

She said she had been trying to get Government to pay to have the pests exterminated, but they refused to do so.

"I've been trying to get the Government to take care of it,'' she said. "But they said that the house was built of good wood and that every house in Bermuda has termites.'' And she claimed that it was revealed during meetings that the Government knew about the problem before they sold her the home.

"In meetings it has come out that Government knew about the problem,'' she said. "But when I was purchasing the house they told me it was fine.'' The frustrated homeowner said the termites were concentrated mainly outside her home.

"If Government is doing this, selling these homes when they know they have termites, it is not right and they need to be exposed.'' Edwin Cowen, head of the Bermuda Housing Corporation, admitted that the corporation was aware about the insect problem.

"We are aware of the fact that there may be some termites in some of the units, but we are not sure how many,'' Mr. Cowen said. "We are working with the Condo Corporation to try to clear this up.'' UNWANTED HOUSE GUESTS -- Homeowner Pearle Steede inspects the damage termites have caused inside her Prospect home.

INSECTS INS