service, it was claimed yesterday.

Mr. Paget Wharton, chairman of the Apprenticeship and Training Council, said: "We must ensure we don't have unlicensed or unqualified operators.

"It's dangerous to the public and the safety of the people who are working for the public.'' Mr. Wharton was speaking only two weeks after Mr. Frederick (Teddy) Sewell died underneath a mobile crane which toppled over while he was lifting a container at the Bull's Head car park construction site.

A spokeswoman for the Government's Health and Safety at Work department later confirmed there is no formal test for crane operators.

Mr. Wharton said that, at present, anyone can set themselves up as a tradesman and describe themselves as such.

He added: "There is no licensing and there are no standards, although standards are being looked at. But at the moment, people just start up and they don't have to have formal training.

"If they have some kind of knack, they just do it, but that's not acceptable any more. I think people are looking for more than that.

"There are a lot of areas where we have no standards at all in operational matters.'' Mr. Wharton said the Government should address the problem as soon as possible, with a properly-funded National Training Board, ideally operating as a semi-autonomous body or QUANGO.

And he called for the wide-spread adoption of UK standards like City & Guilds certificates and the Higher National Certificate and Diploma courses.

He said: "In the last 15 or 20 years, Bermuda has lost its ability to train effectively, in particular the skilled trades and the technical area.

"We are trying to get the National Training Board formed with a high profile, proper funding, semi-independent of any Government department and with a board of directors.

"We should stop all the chatter and cut the promises and just get on with it.'' Mr. Wharton explained: "The National Training Board would have the ability to go out and buy training from specific vendors like Bermuda College, who would sell us what they have.

And he added: "We should have courses where health and safety issues are prominent.

"When you're talking about skills and trades which could be life-threatening to the person carrying out the work, fellow-workers or the public, proper training in safety is vital.''