Claims of increased vermin and litter, overworked trash collectors and friction among neighbours failed to get Government to bring back twice-weekly garbage pick-ups.

Government MPs on Friday night defeated an Opposition motion to reinstate twice-weekly refuse collection.

Shadow Works Minister Mr. Walter Roberts , who brought forward the motion, had claimed: "I understand KBB has been inundated with calls of increased litter around the Island since the one-day-a-week trash collection started.'' On the United Bermuda Party side of the House of Assembly, only Works Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons and the former minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira responded to the motion.

But Progressive Labour Party MPs spent nearly three hours addressing it. Mr.

Roberts said a PLP door-to-door survey of 150 households revealed more than 80 percent of the people were against once-weekly trash pick-ups.

They complained the fact they had to leave bags of garbage outside their homes for longer periods had led to increases in flies and vermin -- rats, mice and maggots -- in the area.

There were also more stray dogs and cats roaming their property.

Garbage was being left outside because there was no room inside a small apartment to store a week's worth of garbage, Mr. Roberts said.

"We are the third richest country in the world, and the standard of living here is supposed to be so much further ahead than other countries, yet we can't afford to have twice-weekly garbage collections!,'' he stated.

Mr. Roberts said he was an active participant in household recycling, separating his cans and newspapers, but he had also seen an increase in vermin around his home.

The new system was also creating friction among neighbours, he said. People were leaving their trash on other people's property or it was being torn open by dogs and cats and scattered next door.

He did not believe it was fair to reinstate twice-weekly pick-ups only in certain neighbourhoods. It would be simpler just to bring back twice-weekly pick-ups Island-wide, he said.

But Mr. Gibbons said collection and disposal of garbage was expensive. He had considered the motion, but felt the once-weekly service, with some modifications, should continue. He did not say what the changes might be.

And contrary to what the PLP said, he had not seen or heard any complaints about the new system, he said.

The new system was a success story, he said, although commercial establishments "were a little lax when it came to recycling''.

Government was shipping tons of glass, cans and scrap aluminium overseas. And he intended "to get tough'' with businesses who did not recycle.

He also intended to address the problem of congested neighbourhoods and small apartments where there were babies.

To reinstate twice-weekly collections would be a "retrograde step'', because, "People are reducing waste.'' Mr. Reginald Burrows (PLP) said his Southampton East constituents were also having problems with increased vermin and illegal dumping.

The new system was creating more litter around the Island, he claimed.

"Bermuda's citizens deserve better,'' he said.

Mr. Walter Lister (PLP) said most of his Sandys South constituents wanted the old system back too.

Shadow Health Minister Mr. Nelson Bascome said PLP members were "not just talking trash''.

People were dumping trash bags all over Pembroke East.

And the Pembroke Dump was busy 24-hours-a-day with people off loading bags of household garbage.

Mr. David Allen (PLP) said there was a good case to be made for twice-weekly garbage collection. It was not good enough to have it in some areas only.

More dumpsters were needed as well.

He did not buy the argument there was not enough money for twice-weekly collection. Cut out "frivolous MPs' travel expenses'' and the Cabinet Office's entertainment budget, he suggested.

Mr. Dennis Lister said he did not think it was fair either to have twice-weekly collections only in some areas, such as condo developments.

"We all pay taxes,'' he said.

Mr. Leon (Jimmy) Williams (PLP) said St. Georgians were suffering increased smells, flies -- and even ants.

He was concerned litter was increasing in the historic town. The Town Manager had noticed increased garbage being thrown in certain corners of St. George's on a recent walk-about.

Union boss Mr. Ottiwell Simmons (PLP) claimed once-a-week pick-ups were a health hazard.

And trash collectors were overworked, being expected to do what was really two-day's work, in one day.

Mr. Stanley Lowe (PLP) said Government's waste management plan was "good in theory but not in practice''.

Bermudians deserved better than once-a-week-only trash pick-ups.

"Where else in the world would people take that sort of garbage from the government?,'' he demanded.

Miss Jennifer Smith (PLP) said she was surprised the Minister of Tourism the Hon. CV (Jim) Woolridge had taken more interest in the debate.

Bermuda should want to everything possible to uphold its reputation as a clean and tidy Island, she said.

Mr. Stanley Morton (PLP) urged Mr. Gibbons to drive through his constituency, Pembroke East Central and see for himself how bad the trash problem was.

Dr. Terceira said there was a hotline for people to call if they were having trash-pick-up problems. But there had been "next to no calls'' of complaint, he said.

And he said he had just received a letter from KBB saying its survey had showed a reduction in litter over the last year.

Responding, Mr. Roberts said that was because Bermudians call their MPs for problems like that.

The hotline was considered more as a way of getting large single items picked up, he said.