and licensed, the Health Minister revealed yesterday.

His announcement followed this week's conviction of baby sitter Filomena Cabral for harming a 10-month girl in her care.

Cabral, said the Hon. Quinton Edness, was supposedly caring for no more than five children.

Under present rules, sitters looking after up to five children do not have to be licensed, unlike larger nursery operators. This was why she could not be suspended after she was charged, he said.

Now, in a "major policy change'', the rules would be altered.

Mr. Edness told the House of Assembly: "I'm sorry we have to do it because it was a good thing for many at-home parents to do in neighbourhoods, to take in other children. But now things have changed.'' The Minister was speaking the day after Cabral, 32, was convicted of bruising the thigh of baby Daniella D'Amato, possibly with a belt. She is due to be sentenced on June 17.

Independent MP Mr. Stuart Hayward said there were delays in bringing cases to justice. Dog abuse cases were dealt with more quickly, he claimed.

Recently, a child came home from a day nursery with red genitals and her parents were told she must have drank too much red Kool-aid, Mr. Hayward said.

Another official told a parent to stop making child abuse allegations, he said.

Regulations were needed that would allow Government to close a nursery, and set out nursery worker qualifications and care criteria, he said.

For one thing, parents should be able to see their children at any time at a day nursery.

There are officials in the Ministry of Health and Social Services who do not want a fuss made about child abuse, he charged.

"What is it going to take?'' Mr. Hayward asked. "Is some child going to have to be crippled, maimed, murdered, given AIDS, before the Ministry does its job?'' Mr. Edness was good at saying he was working on regulations while "on the other hand trying to denigrate and put down the character of whoever made the charges''.

Allegations had been publicised about a particular Bermuda day nursery, but the Ministry seemed more intent on "protecting the people at the day care centre and not protecting the children''.

The Minister had blocked volunteer groups "attempting to help this situation,'' he said. At least one such volunteer had been verbally abused by the Minister.

Mr. Edness agreed some child abuse cases took too long to get to court, but he said that was the judicial system's responsibility.

The difficulty of compiling child abuse cases could lengthen the process, and this was the case with some present allegations.

He praised social work department expertise in protecting children. "But when it comes to alleged child abuse and dealing with that, I have complained because I have felt that we have been deficient.

"There have been problems with the complaints that have come to me about the attitudes of some of the people that have had to investigate child abuse.'' The problem also involved people outside the Ministry, who had responsibility in that area.

Officials were making efforts to correct procedures.

"We must have a very alert and very quick response whenever there is an alleged incidence of child abuse,'' said Mr. Edness.

Lack of resources had hampered the Ministry, he said, and he was trying to correct that too.

Mr. Edness denied turning down help from outsiders, saying he supported the Coalition for the Protection of Children.

But he had had some disagreements. The Ministry had been asked to support the granting of work permits for some ex-pat residents so they could help with child abuse.

But their social work credentials were lacking and the Ministry had asked for more information. The Coalition's lawyer "promised to get back to us and we have not seen him since''.

Advice leaflets on nurseries were available to parents, he said.

The Minister added: "There is in fact a nursery school that is being monitored very closely because of the alleged abuses that have taken place, and we're looking to try to substantiate some of these allegations.

"I am convinced that what the parents claim is in fact true, but they can't substantiate how these abuses occurred.'' He challenged Mr. Hayward to reveal "his relationship with one of the key persons in the Coalition''. Is the person his political fundraiser, asked Mr. Edness.