A public meeting hosted by Government lacked support last night after only a handful of people turned up.

Only about ten members of the public attended the second Progessive Labour Party community meeting to ask Ministers Nelson Bascome, Dr. Ewart Brown and Alex Scott questions. However, a number of issues were discussed at the gathering held at Purvis Primary School in Warwick and hosted by MP and backbencher Dale Butler.

Up for discussion were the issues of affordable housing, seniors' health care, tinted car windows and public transport.

Transport Minister Dr. Brown told the meeting that legislation would be tabled at the House of Assembly within the next three months, making the installers of tinted car windows liable if the law is broken.

He said regulations on vehicle emissions will also be tabled within the next 60 days, and early in January Government will begin testing vehicles in Bermuda to set up an emissions benchmark.

And he also revealed that a new director of the Transport Control Department would be appointed and named officially today.

And on the topic of public transport, Dr. Brown promised there would be 20 new buses brought into operation on the Island over the next 18 months.

He said: "The buses will be affordable, convenient and comfortable.'' And he also promoted the Government's investment in and plans for an improved ferry service, which it hopes will reduce traffic on the roads and entice more people to use public transport on the water.

Minister for Works and Engineering Alex Scott said Government was in the pre-tendering stages of finding contractors for the new Berkeley Institute and revealed that Government was in talks with six different interested parties.

But the Minister also said companies interested in the school project had been urged to use a Bermudian workforce in a bid to give locals the first option on jobs.

Health Minister Nelson Bas-come had to leave the meeting early as he was hosting a dinner at Premier Jennifer Smith's official residence Camden House.

Ewart Brown