New Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson has taken up the reins of one of the most crucial Government departments. With just about every function in the Country affecting or being touched by environmental matters, the new Minister has his hands full. Here in the first in an occasional series on the members of the new Cabinet, he talks about some of his hopes to Tim Greenfield.

Central to all functions in the new PLP Government's platform is the involvement of the people that voted them in.

And Arthur Hodgson is keen to keep in touch with the grassroots and make all actions accountable by gaining input from the public at all levels -- to ensue there can be no complaints that policy is being forced on people.

Central to that theme, is the re-establishing of Parish Councils across the Island.

He sees forums of elected representatives as vital to forming environmental policy, planning issues and establishing needs in the community -- giving people an input and responsibility in their own areas.

Information and ideas flowing upwards rather than filtering down should be the trend, he says, while admitting that increased public participation could create more red tape.

"It could slow things down but at least we would have what the community wants. We want to involve people in projects but when it comes to the table it can move fast.'' By consulting with the people, he is keen to speed up the processes once they in Government hands -- so residents get to see results rather than having reports gathering dust on shelves.

Of particular issues, land zoning will be looked at to address imbalances created when areas are re-zoned -- giving some landowners a windfall and wiping out others.

Education will be central to many plans, involving Agriculture and Fisheries, Marine and Ports and other sections in a bid to get people to become stakeholders in the community.

Drawing on his legal background, he said prisoners could be taking part in work parties on specific projects and community service may become a more central part of the criminal justice system.

Listed buildings, a policy that had caused much controversy for the outgoing United Bermuda Party, will still be preserved but there will be investigations into how owners can be compensated for looking after, what is after all a national treasure.

Pollution, especially traffic-orientated, will be a thorny issue for the PLP to grapple with. There are over 20,000 vehicles on the road and the affluence has created a demand for personal transport -- which in turn has conceived a congestion nightmare.

"The real issue is how many cars we are going to allow on the streets? You could limit the amount of people that can drive them or limit the number of cars and let people compete for available cars by prohibition, making it a privilege of those who can afford them,'' he says.

But he also recognises the need to set a good example by creating an efficient public transport system, and cleaning up the existing fleet, for example the smoke-belching buses.

Mr. Hodgson is keen to highlight that he wants the new Ministry to be proactive and not reactive, to be involved and not to be merely a policeman.

He wants to bring parties together and to relieve stress on the environment.

"There is no conflict between conservation and development. That is nonsense.

Developers want to conserve, and conservationists want to develop. And everybody wants a nice place to live.'' Graphic file name: HODDGER PUBLIC INPUT -- Arthur Hodgson