Southampton Princess staff living in the shadow of Bermuda's latest cellular tower have caused a major headache for their bosses -- by demanding new accommodation.

The Royal Gazette has learned several staff have already clubbed together and written to General Manager Norm Mastalir, outlining their fears about radiation.

And it is understood they will approach hotel executives later this week, now that building work has started on Princess-owned land at Faraway in Warwick.

The employees, who live at staff accomodation complex Faraway Cottages, fear their families' health could be in danger once the 40-foot mast is built by Bermuda Digital Communications.

Construction workers have already laid the concrete foundations for the tower.

And BDC, who will use the antenna for CellularOne cell phones, insist the tower is safe and meets international standards.

Southampton Princess General Manager Norm Mastalir and hotel manager Alan Trew were both off the Island and unavailable for comment last night.

A hotel spokesman said: "I can neither confirm nor deny any correspondence from our staff at Faraway Cottages as I have no insight into the matter.'' But lobby group CARE -- Communities Against Radiation Emissions -- say they are still writing to Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb "three or four times a week'' with their concerns.

Ms Webb said last week that a decision to pull down the towers would have to be put to the people.

She said: "If it was found that Bermuda was unhealthy and Bermuda would be completely cut off from the rest of the world, then that would be a question for the public to answer.'' CARE spokesman Steve Thomson said: "It's almost like we are going to be the guinea pigs now.

"A lot of people are concerned about these towers. But what we are getting back from the Government is that the licences and leases are all in place and it's going up anyway.'' CARE are now looking to southern Ireland for more evidence that the masts may cause cancer.

Leitrim County Council last week reversed a decision to grant planning permission for a 32-metre cell phone tower. Local campaigners described the decision as "unprecedented''.

Mr. Thomson added: "This is an argument which is raging all over the world.

"We are not unique here in Bermuda. But this is a solvable problem.

"Technically, one mast could run all the Country. But if that would have to be too tall, we could conceivably have three or four towers around the Island.'' He said Government could allow the towers to be built in non-residential areas like Morgans Point, Great Sound, Barkers Hill, Castle Harbour or the Airport.

But he said Government chiefs simply said the masts already in place had been legally built with licences approved by the United Bermuda Party administration.

Former Premier Pamela Gordon has already urged the new Government to launch a safety review of all Bermuda's 38 towers.

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