breakdown.

For staff at Governor Thorold Masefield's official residence, Government House, were reduced to just one working telephone.

It is understood that problems with electricity and phone cuts have plagued the staff at Government House since a huge $250,000-plus renovation programme began earlier this year.

Works and Engineering staff are replacing old and dangerous wiring at Government House.

And the Bermuda Telephone Company are switching over from the antiquated telephone system to an up-to-date network.

Deputy Governor Peter Willis admitted: "We are having extreme difficulties.'' And he appealed for members of the public trying to contact civil servants at Government House to be patient.

Mr. Willis said: "We would be grateful if the public would bear with us on this. Faxes can still be sent and BTC is doing its best to patch together a very old telephone system which is about to be replaced.'' Government House also suffered problems the week before last after a lightning strike blew out its phones and power supply, leaving staff cut off from the outside world for days.

But Mr. Masefield -- currently on holiday -- has missed most of the disruption.

He moved last week to temporary accommodation "up de country'' at the former home of Royal Navy commanding officers of HMS Malabar -- The Cottage, at Dockyard -- while renovation work at Government House goes on.

The Cottage -- which also needed work done on it before it was judged fit for Her Majesty's representative in Bermuda -- has 11 bedrooms and a commercial-size kitchen, plus a spacious drawing room and lounge either side of the impressive entrance hall.

The house -- disused since Malabar was closed around four years ago, overlooks the Great Sound and boasts a private dock and beach, as well as a bowling alley on a nearby island.