Government has announced $28 million worth of new contracts including two valued at a total of $22 million for work at the Tynes Bay Waste Treatment Facility and more than $120,000 to buy tasers for the Police.

According to the Official Gazette last week the Ministry of Tourism awarded $296,000 to Rooster Creative Ltd. for sales and marketing services in the UK.

An additional $80,000 was awarded to RC Danes and Associates Inc., for sales and marketing services in Canada.

And Lou Hammond and Associates was awarded $850,000 for public relations services in North American.

The Ministry also awarded Bermuda Security Group Limited $2 million to screen passengers, baggage and vehicles entering Bermuda's cruise terminals.

Last year 315,500 tourists came to the Island on cruise ships.

The Ministry of Works and Engineering announced that $14.7 million will be spent to refurbish streams one and two at the Tynes Bay Waste facility.

That contract went to Industrial Contractors and Engineers AG of Switzerland.

"The refurbishment of incineration streams one and two at Tynes Bay Waste-to-Energy Facility comprises the removal and replacement of the combustion and furnace chambers in the incineration streams and replacement of part of the boiler tube system, together with associated mechanical and electrical replacements," a Government spokesperson said. "These changes are required as the system has been in operation for more than 15 years and the equipment is in need of replacement. The refurbishment works will essentially return the system to its original condition; additionally, these works will lead to system operational and efficiency improvements."

An additional $7.6 million will be spent to replace the flue gas cleaning system at the facility. The contract went to Elex AG, also of Switzerland. The spokesperson said that after 15 years of service, the entire system "requires replacement to avoid continued breakdowns and to improve the emissions quality".

The facility was built in 1998 and the Government has said there has been significant wear and tear. Tynes Bay disposes of up to 70,000 tonnes of garbage each year.

In November it will close for four months while it gets upgraded. Work on a third incinerator, which will further streamline the plant, will take place in 2011.

"The installation of a third incineration stream at Tynes Bay Waste-to-Energy Facility is an ongoing project with design works in progress," the spokesperson continued. "However, in view of the current economic climate, the replacement of the flue gas cleaning system and the refurbishment of incineration streams one and two, it was considered prudent to defer further major expenditure on the third incineration stream initiative for at least one year until the current refurbishment works have been completed and the plant is again operating efficiently."

The Department of Health and Vector Control will move from its current location in the Old Hospital Building, on Point Finger Road, Paget, to another building on Hermitage Road. Burt Construction was awarded the $1 million contract.

The spokesperson added: "The scope of work requires complete interior fit-out within the building shell at 6 Hermitage Road. The public opening of the tenders for this work took place on February 12, 2010."

The Ministry also awarded CellularOne a $313,200 contract for the Bermuda Police Service's cellular services and the Ministry of Home Affairs purchased $123,383 worth of tasers for Bermuda Police Service.

That means there are approximately 200 tasers on the Island, if Government paid the going rate for a taser in the US.