its history, the town's Mayor said as he opened the first of several public forums on a new revitalisation plan last night.

"It has been said that St. George's is awaiting the day when its full potential and charm come into focus,'' the Wor. Henry Hayward told a standing room only crowd of about 60 residents in the town's ferry terminal.

"I think we are in the position where things are becoming a little clearer.'' He added: "The rest of Bermuda has been waiting for something like this to happen in St. George's for some time. We announced the plan on Monday and by the end of the day I had received a number of very positive phone calls.'' The plan, which is being spearheaded by architect-consultants Mr. Stanley Kennedy and Bert Winterbottom is a larger and more comprehensive extension of such past beautification projects as the repaving of numerous town streets and the building of the prize-winning cruise ship terminal at Ordnance Island, the Mayor told the forum.

Some of the objectives of the plan that were cited last night included the preservation of the town's heritage, a boosting of the local economy and the enhancement of the Island's economy as a whole.

A focal point of the latter objective will be the examination of eco-tourism as a means of drawing visitors, the meeting heard.

"One of the things we will be looking at closely is going beyond the enhancement of things you already have and exploring the environment as a selling point,'' said Mr. Winterbottom, an American who has overseen other large scale refurbishment projects in Baltimore and Boston.

Many of the residents also had their own ideas on the future of the town, including a maximisation of water sports in the harbour and the creation of more resident friendly restaurants and cafes.

One man suggested that historical re-enactments be spread out to avoid the crowds of 2,000 to 3,000 that normally assemble, while another woman wanted to see improved facilities for yachtsman.

Most agreed that the town should offer things to cruise passengers that they cannot get on board their ships.

The plan, which will also assess any traffic and parking problems in the old capital, is currently in its first stage. The second phase begins in May.