There will be no hope for the young people of Bermuda without an official national youth commission, a Government Minister claimed yesterday.

PLP backbencher Dale Butler told the House of Assembly that during the last 20 years there had been little direction and no role models for the Island's youth.

He said housing was so expensive, most were unable to even consider buying their own property, and too many people showed respect for material things rather than respect for each other.

He added that children in Bermuda received rewards far too easily and, as a result, expected the "gravy train'' to continue when they left school.

He urged everybody, including the Government, schools and parents, to help guide youngsters in the right direction and instil good, old fashioned values back into the Island's youth.

"If we don't get hold of that group now, what will happen to them?,'' asked Mr. Butler.

"There will be no hope for young people. We have not sent the correct message to our young on what the real life is about.

"More needs to be done. I make a plea to this House that we look to the future. We have to tackle this problem as quickly as possible. Can we look at the possibility of having a national youth commission that would look at serving young people in work, training, school and sport? "Why not establish a commission that could establish those young people?'' Ten years ago, the Government formed a National Youth Council to address the concerns of young people in the community and give them a voice.

For a long time it reported to the Minister of Youth and Sport but at the end of last year Premier Jennifer Smith took on the portfolio of the Council.

She said this would give young people direct access to her.

In January this year, Government Senator Patrice Parris was named Chairman of the Council and law student Sean Tucker its Vice Chairman.

They regularly meet with high school students who were put forward by their Principals to represent their peers.

Last night Miss Parris said the Council was there to allow young people a chance to speak but did not necessarily address all the problems Mr. Butler referred to.

"We discuss the concerns of the young people themselves. We do not address all of the social issues Mr. Butler talks of,'' she said. "A lot of things he speaks about, such as sending youngsters in the right direction, are addressed in the churches and school systems but, most importantly, it should come from family. Everybody has to be involved.

"If a commission was set up I think it could work alongside the Council. But you can't say a commission would be able to do it all on its own. It has to be a collective effort by everybody in the community.''