Opposition leader Kim Swan and former Progressive Labour Party Attorney General Phil Perinchief have both called for a poverty summit to address ways to help struggling Bermudians.

The call, made in separate comments to The Royal Gazette, follows the release of a study on people on low incomes which pitches the poverty line at incomes of less than $27,000 per annum for a single person and $76,000 for a two-parent family with two children under 16.

The study found 11 percent of households fell below the new threshold — which equates to 3,050 homes.

It contrasts with Census 2000 figures which showed 30 percent of households fell in the poor or near poor category.

Mr. Perinchief said Government had "low-balled" the new figures when choosing a particular model of assessing the statistics.

He said a national poverty line should be at least 60 percent of the median national income which would produce a poverty line of $55-60,000 which he reckons would be typical for around one third of Bermuda's households.

He added: "In a multi-billion dollar economy such as Bermuda with a per-capita income in excess of $80,000, why does the PLP Government ten years later find it so difficult to deliver on its mandate it came in on — i.e. helping the working class to a better distribution of the wealth of this country?"

He said unless policies were designed to help the poor the problems would remain.

He said: "We need a national non-partisan commission on poverty in Bermuda to produce an unbiased national poverty line so we will do more than apply Band-Aid solutions such as free day care and buses to the deeper cancerous disease of poverty."

And Mr. Swan took a similar line saying he hoped the report would be the basis for roundtable discussions to discuss ways to alleviate the poverty problem.

Such talks should include social services, charities, retailers and wholesalers and economists, he suggested.

Mr. Swan said he was glad Government had done the study but he regretted it had taken months to release it given that it was dated March 2008.

He said the breakdown on what various categories of people needed to live was optimistic with single people expected to find shelter for $15,600 a year.

"There might be single adults paying that type of rent if they have been renting the same place for a number of years."

But he said anyone entering the open market now would likely to pay much more for a place and he said the same held true for other rents for families.

And the poverty report claims people can eat nutritional food for just $8.19 a day.

Mr. Swan said: "It's very difficult, I don't think there are too many things you can buy for $8 a day."

Those living on fixed incomes, such as pensioners, were even more pressed financially, said Mr. Swan.

The Family Centre executive director Martha Dismont said she was glad Government had made a start by looking at the poverty problem.

She said: "I believe the figures are fairly accurate.

"I tend to get concerned though whenever I see anything that resembles the development of a 'welfare state' for any portion of our population in Bermuda.

"As much as we need to begin to assist those who are struggling with financial assistance and free day care and free transportation, et cetera, I would like to see Government's dollars put back into the economy to strengthen families with skills and tools to benefit from this currently 'rich economy'."

She said strong programmers that build self-esteem, solid education strategies and sustainable affordable housing were critical.

She added: "When it is necessary to provide assistance — finance or otherwise, it needs to be coupled with the ability for those families to rebuild their lives participate in this country's economic success."

The study also made the claim that a single parent household with one child could spend just $11.70 a day to ensure a nutritional family diet.

One reader, who wished to remain anonymous, e-mailed this paper to say: "I shudder to think how two people can eat nutritionally on $5.85 a day.

"Whilst the RG report doesn't give that much information, I am assuming we are not talking about single mother and breast-fed baby here.

"What are these two people supposed to eat? One meal a day, two, three?

"At $82 per week for the two, I appreciate one can buy bread, milk, fruit and if it that makes up the 'nutritional' diet, then so be it.

"I sincerely hope that when the Government starts to think through it's policies on financial support to such people, they might at least first try and subsist on $5.85 a day."

The study, which was unveiled in the House of Assembly last week by Premier Ewart Brown, is due to debated when MPs return from their summer break.