Bermuda duty free so that we can try them out for suitability is entirely to be welcomed. The cars, especially if used with solar panels, are environmentally friendly and more suitable to Bermuda than to larger countries.

We have to face the fact that the number of cars on the roads is a problem and that problem will grow with the decision to allow a second-hand car market. We think Government has calculated the second-hand market on what locals will buy and overlooked the large number of new arrivals who will buy a second-hand car for a stay of a few years if the car is reasonably priced and they can resell it.

The second-hand car market was a recommendation of the 1989 Dick Report on traffic sponsored by Government and the Corporation of Hamilton. But, as Bermuda so often does with reports, we are picking and choosing what we implement. The fact is that the Dick Report recommended a ceiling on the number of cars for five years along with a second-hand market. The report also recommended disqualification of people from car ownership if they are convicted of more than one serious motoring offence in a period of five years.

Government has chosen a second-hand car market but side-stepped the restrictions and that does not make good sense.

For far too long very little has been done in any meaningful way to face the car problem because politicians see a loss of votes in car restrictions.

Finally someone is moving in a beneficial direction. Bermuda has to plan what is best for the Country in terms of protecting Bermuda's image and to protect the environment we need a blueprint of where it is best to go to enhance Bermuda's image and to protect both locals and Bermudians. Electric vehicles may well be most suitable for Bermuda in the future.

We know that electric cars are not yet perfected and that there are still problems of cost and effectiveness but they are getting better and the time will come when they are seen as more desirable than gasoline powered vehicles.

There are exciting small electric cars now being developed in California which could be very suitable for Bermuda. Because electric cars are new they are expensive but without local duty they may well be acceptable and, like all new developments, the price will come down if production increases.

There is no reason why Bermuda, with short travel distances, should not be the proving ground for these vehicles and no reason why Bermuda should not move toward electric vehicles. We do not need the speed or the power required of cars for longer distances. Electricity to recharge the cars other than solar panels is expensive in Bermuda but since gasoline is also very expensive in Bermuda the price of electricity to recharge the cars should not be prohibitive.

What is being suggested is that we try electric vehicles out for suitability and there is no reason not to do that.