new Post Office.

The Works and Engineering Ministry applied almost two weeks ago to build a controversial new Paget Post Office on the South Shore.

And although hope is being held out for a "more conducive'' site, Works Minister C.V. (Jim) Woolridge said the new Post Office had been included in this year's budget.

A news report said his Ministry and Paget West MP Tim Smith had approached the Bermuda College about placing the post office on its property.

On Wednesday Mr. Woolridge told The Royal Gazette : "We are having confidential talks with the College. And when we have a statement at the conclusion we will release it.'' And Postmaster General Clevlyn Critchlow said he had "no comment about that Post Office'' when contacted this week.

On Tuesday, Mr. Woolridge said: "Hopefully we will be able to move forward with this. We are currently looking at the site and others that might be more conducive to parking.'' "No-one will deny St. Paul's Lane is not an adequate place for a post office.

If another site is made available, there would not be a problem selling that lot of land.'' Mr. Woolridge said the newest post office at Mangrove Bay, Sandys, had received a merit award from the National Trust and he hoped Paget would get something comparable.

The plans before the Development Applications Board include 17 parking spaces, and 1,000 post boxes. It totals more than 2,500 square feet of floor space.

The new post office will share a right-of-way entrance with Trimingham's Paget branch.

The purchase of the $325,000 vacant lot -- sandwiched between the Modern Mart and St. Michael's Road and Triminghams's -- caused controversy in 1995 in the House of Assembly.

The purchase of the quarter acre was approved by voice vote over the objections of Progressive Labour Party MPs.

Government MPs called the old site "unsatisfactory'' and the staff had worked under "appalling'' conditions.

The House approved a $1 million amount in March based on preliminary estimates of the cost from Government.

One of Bermuda's most popular attractions -- for visitors and locals -- is seeking to expand its premises.

The Bermuda Aquarium and Zoo recently applied to the Development Applications Board to build a new education and administration centre.

Aquarium curator Jack Ward said the proposed two-story structure was desperately needed at the Flatts attraction.

"About 6,000 students are involved in our various programmes, like summer camp, and we do not have a purpose-built classroom,'' Mr. Ward explained. "We are bursting at the seams. We need space.'' He said the main floor of the proposed new addition will feature an open, 100-person auditorium that can be partitioned off into three classrooms.

"All of the offices will be upstairs,'' he added.

If approved, the construction on the addition will begin this fall and will take place behind the main Aquarium building.

"It will not be visible from the Flatts entrance,'' Mr. Ward said.