Two Government drives to improve the housing problem (Editorial, Page 4) and ease the plight of long-term residents were slammed as not enough by Opposition leader Jennifer Smith.

Ms Smith said a plan by new Health and Family Services Minister Wayne Furbert to use empty schools as temporary housing for single mothers and emergency accommodation left her "shocked and surprised.'' She said: "I remember the Premier said there was not a crisis -- only a problem of availability.'' Mr. Furbert also pledged extra cash to tackle a lack of affordable housing on a long-term basis and added the Bermuda Housing Corporation will get an additional $1 million for new buys and renovations.

Ms Smith said that extra cash for mortgages was "not really an answer to the problem.'' But she declined to answer questions on how the PLP would have handled the problem, except to say that they would do it differently.

She added, however, that she was aware of the stress placed on children by a lack of security.

Ms Smith said: "I'm quite aware of the impact on children who do not have a stable home life.

"If you're not having a stable home life, if you do not know where you're going to lay your head at night, it will have an impact. We have a responsibility for providing these children with a stable home life.'' Ms Smith also criticised that an announcement by Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Maxwell Burgess that non-Bermudian residents who had notched up 20-plus years on the Island would now be given some time to find a new job.

Previously, non-Bermudians who lost their employment were automatically forced off the Island.

But Ms Smith said: "There was nothing new, nothing substantive...after so long ignoring the human rights of people, having promised a White Paper in April and it's now May, it's not a good enough answer for the long-term residents in Bermuda.'' Ms Smith was speaking as the PLP announced its General Election candidates for Devonshire North and South.

Veteran MP Lois Browne-Evans and lawyer Paula Cox will again team up to defend their safe Devonshire North seats.

Danny Farias -- a loser in the Devonshire South by-election last year -- will team up with newcomer Quinton Butterfield, owner of medical services lab Central Diagnostics.

Ms Browne-Evans, 70 -- an MP since 1963 -- said she had not considered stepping aside because of "propaganda'' about the abilities of the PLP to govern well.

IMMIGRATION IMM POLITICS PTL