been put up for tender after 16 years of operation, has not been treated unfairly, St. George's mayor Mr. Henry Hayward insists.

Mr. Bascombe, who operates a fast food service on the premises, will be able to make a bid for it like everyone else, he told The Royal Gazette .

"It is our responsibility to advertise it so that everyone in the community has a chance,'' he said.

"There has been no change in policy. His contract expired in 1992 and he applied to have it extended for a further year, which we gave him.'' Added the mayor: "We were a bit slack because we did not get around to advertising for tenders until March 1994. At that time it would have been unfair to him or anyone else because it was the beginning of the season. So we decided we would advertise at the end of the season.'' But Mr. Hayward said Mr. Bascombe had a good chance of holding on to the concession.

"All things taken into consideration, he might very well be allowed to stay,'' he said.

Mr. Bascombe was unavailable for comment yesterday but a number of his supporters have spoken out in his favour.

HARBOUR RADIO TO THE RESCUE RES Harbour Radio to the rescue Harbour Radio helped rescue seven people whose fishing vessel began sinking in the Caribbean.

The radio's operators raised the alarm after picking up a May Day signal at about 6.30 a.m. on Friday.

It was coming from My Lucky Lady , a fishing vessel 300 miles south of Puerto Rico.

The Coast guard in San Juan sent an aircraft to the scene, and the seven people were spotted in a life-raft.

They were later recovered safe and well, a Harbour Radio spokesman said.

Harbour Radio also played a hand in the rescue of a solo sailor after picking up a distress beacon signal 900 miles east of the Island.

The signal came from a 60ft vessel believed to be involved in a race between France and Guadeloupe.

THIEVES TARGET PARKED CARS CRM Thieves target parked cars Cash and other items were stolen last week from two cars left unattended.

Clothes, a money pouch, cheque book and electronic organiser, were stolen from a car parked on Berkeley Road in Pembroke.

And two wallets, credit cards and other items, were taken from a car parked at Darrell's Wharf in Warwick.

Police reminded the public to always lock their cars when leaving them unattended.

They advised car-owners never to leave the keys in the ignition and never to leave valuables on view. Locking them in the boot where they are out of sight was the best bet, Police said.

MAN GUILTY OF DRUG OFFENCES CTS Man guilty of drug offences Sentencing of a man who imported drugs was put off on Friday pending a social inquiry report.

Magistrate the Wor. Cheryl-Ann Mapp gave her judgment on the case of Edward Dill, 40, of Mount Hill, Pembroke, who had pleaded not guilty to the importing and possession of cocaine in June 1992.

Albert Santucci, who originally implicated Dill in the conspiracy to import 22.3 grammes of cocaine, later denied Dill was involved.

But two Police officers saw the drug transaction between Santucci and Dill in a raid on Dill's home.

Ms Mapp found Dill guilty of the importation and possession of cocaine and remanded him in custody pending a social inquiry report.

Sea-sickness causes diversion A cargo ship diverted to Bermuda yesterday morning after a passenger fell violently sick.

The St. Vincent-registered Conti Blue was en route from Vera Cruz in Mexico to Rotterdam.

It entered Five Fathom Hole in the east end at about 9 a.m. to drop the passenger off, before continuing its journey.

A Harbour Radio spokesman said: "The passenger was suffering from severe sea-sickness.''