Three Government Ministers last night revealed that they may be unable to fulfil Finance Minister Eugene Cox's directive to cut their proposed budgets by five percent.

Health Minister Nelson Bascome, Education Minister Milton Scott and Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox could not be drawn on how or where they will make the cuts in their portfolios.

While Mr. Bascome and Ms Cox readily admitted that they did not know where they might be able to make cuts, Sen. Scott was completely tight-lipped.

Mr. Bascome, who carries responsibility for the largest budget, candidly told The Royal Gazette that he did not know if he will be able to cut $5.5 million out of his proposed budget.

"I have told both the Finance Minister and my senior staff at the Ministry that we are at the thrust of providing service to the public,'' Mr. Bascome said.

"We may be able to make some small cuts here and there but the majority of the programmes in my Ministry are essential to Bermuda.'' And Mr. Bascome did not appear worried that he would be forced to cut some of those programmes.

"The Finance Minister is simply warning Ministers to take a serious look at their expenditures and to try to trim,'' he said. "He asked everyone to look at their expenditures for last year and see if they can make reductions on them. It's a good healthy exercise for us.

"We are in the middle of the reviewing process and have not made any conclusive decisions. We are looking at everything.'' Currently operating on a budget of $85 million, the Education Ministry ranks second highest on Government's expenditure.

But last night Sen. Scott refused to comment any further than to say: "The Finance Minister has asked us to make a five percent cost cut and we will endeavour to do so.'' With a budget of $64.9 million, the Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety is the third highest spender.

Ministers cannot meet targets for Budget cuts but Ms Cox admitted last night she may not be able to make the cuts requested.

"I will be meeting this week with my heads of department to see what they suggest,'' she said.

"I think though that the Finance Minister was giving us an ideal end goal.

Whether all the Ministries will be able to adhere to it is improbable.'' Ms Cox noted that the Finance Minister's action was largely made to address "those Ministries which around March find that they have a surplus and start spending just to use it up''.

According to Ms Cox the Government wants to end the fear in Ministries that they must spend all they have in order that their allotment for the next year is not decreased.

"We want to discourage this type of spending,'' she said.

She pointed out that a number of very important programmes and initiatives were currently in her Ministry and that perhaps cost cutting might come in the form of job vacancies not being replaced.

"If a position has been vacant for a long period of time and it is in a less visible area, we may look at not replacing the person,'' she said.

"We may also be able to find some efficiencies in the mass purchasing of supplies.'' Mr. Cox last night refused to talk about the matter.

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