A major clampdown on derelict buildings used as crackhouses and for prostitution is set to be launched, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

And in a "several birds with one stone'' move, the disused houses will be revamped and turned into low-cost family housing.

Premier Pamela Gordon is expected to announce the plan at a lunchtime lecture tomorrow.

She will also lay out her new-look Cabinet team's plan of action in the run-up to the General Election -- and reveal a new "contract with the people.'' Ms Gordon said laws exist to allow Government to take over disused properties -- even without the consent of the owners.

Under the Bermuda Housing Act, Government can step in if land or property has had no tax paid on it for a certain number of years.

Ms Gordon explained many derelict homes were tied up in estates and settlements or the owners had moved away from Bermuda altogether.

But she said: "We notify the owners that, if a house is not earmarked for fixing, Government will fix it up.

"Then we can rent it out until we get back what it cost us to renovate it and the owner gets back a fixed-up place. Or, if we get the permission of the owner, we can sell it and they get back the full market value.'' Ms Gordon added that the beauty of the plan was it would not cost taxpayers anything.

And she said it would get rid of blots on the landscape, as well as provide housing without cutting into the Island's remaining open space.

She added that eight eyesore properties had been identified in one area of St.

George's alone.

Ms Gordon pointed out: "That's eight properties identified in just one area.

"That's eight homes and eight families -- and if you go through every parish in that way, that will go a long way towards taking care of the housing problem.'' She added: "It will also fix up the general look of areas, as well as create extra housing without new building lots having to be used.

"We're trying to kill several birds with one stone and we think we can do that.'' Ms Gordon is expected to announce the plan as part of the lecture, to be held at St. Paul AME Church, Court Street, Hamilton, starting at 12.30 p.m.

tomorrow.

Ms Gordon said she picked a lunchtime spot so working Bermudians can attend.

Last night she was staying tight-lipped on the precise content of her speech.

But she said: "What I would like to do is give the people what the new United Bermuda Party team is all about. We want to make sure that our credibility is such that people understand what we are doing.

"And if there are misconceptions about the UBP and what we are doing, we want to clear them up.''