gift for garbage collectors.

Friday's Budget announced the cash would be ploughed into a rubbish fund at the Ministry of Works and Engineering.

It will be used to pay for the drivers, labourers and extra vehicle maintenance and repairs, once the trash collections have been doubled.

The last twice-weekly garbage pick-ups were scrapped in the early 1990s, when the Tynes Bay incinerator was built.

Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott told The Royal Gazette the extra trash collection would start in April.

He added: "The new Bermuda will be a cleaner Bermuda. We are looking for this to be accomplished in the second or third week of April.

"We do feel that by virtue of a return to that schedule we will be able to guarantee a cleaner Bermuda. We are going to take several initiatives and include them in our approach. It will be a kicking-off event to other things which we hope will underscore the Government's commitment to a cleaner environment.'' He said the UBP's decision to drop a second weekly collection was agreed as "a reasonable exchange'', considering the new incinerator was being built on Palmetto Road.

But the UBP's last Works and Engineering Minister, who now holds the Shadow Ministry, welcomed the second trash collection.

C.V. (Jim) Woolridge added: "If the Budget can accommodate it, I think it's a good idea.

"When I was Minister, we had twice-weekly garbage collections in densely populated areas, like back-of-town.

"The Minister before me, Leonard Gibbons, had considered going back to twice a week and certainly in the summer, when the dogs and cats are about, the garbage does become unsightly.

"Since we are a tourist destination and we are always talking about keeping Bermuda beautiful, I'm all for it.'' HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY HOA