to clamp down on personal water craft.

Barrister Phil Perinchief said: "These regulations have made the jet ski the pit bull of the power craft world.'' And he added: "I will be challenging these discriminatory and reactionary policies and I invite other intelligent people to do so.'' Mr. Perinchief said he had owned and operated a lights-equipped jet ski "safely and responsibly'' both day and night for the last three years.

He added: "This is a prohibition of my rights to enjoy a power craft which is listed as a boat under the regulations as opposed to others enjoying their liberty to do so.'' Mr. Perinchief hit back after Government announced the results of its probe into the use of jet skis in Island waters.

A special Cabinet Committee has banned the use of the craft at night-time.

The spotlight was turned on the superfast lightweight craft after a man died in a night collision between a power boat and a jet ski off North Shore.

But Mr. Perinchief said jet skis were classed as power boats -- and it was unfair to single out one type for special treatment.

Mr. Perinchief said: "I consider it a grave injustice and an insult to responsible jet skiers to permit the authorities to use the tragic occurrence of one life lost because of a collision between a jet ski and stationary power craft.'' And he added the new rules were motivated by the "narrow-minded, short-sighted pragmatism which characterises so many of the laws in this Country''.' Mr. Perinchief asked if it was any safer to operate a 12-foot power outboard engine boat at night rather than a jet ski.

He insisted: "The reverse is true because a jet ski doesn't have a propeller -- but we have not banned power boats as a result of the several deaths at night that these craft have been involved in.'' Mr. Perinchief said he was aware of several accidents where people had suffered serious injury after being caught up in powerboat propellers.

He also predicted that the new rules would lead to less safety on the water -- because angry jet skiers may ignore the new rules and travel at night with their lights off to avoid detection.

He added that larger, boat-style versions -- but with the same type of power units as jet skis -- were used in Bermuda and questioned where they would fall under the rules.

And he pointed out that livery cycles and motor bikes had suffered no new extra restrictions as a result of the double-figure death toll on the roads this year alone.

Mr. Perinchief claimed that Government "didn't have the guts'' to take on industries which were an "important lobby'' on the Island.

He added: "The danger in the use of any vehicle, jet ski or otherwise, is not necessarily in the nature of the vehicle itself but rather in how responsibly its user chooses to drive it.'' Mr. Perinchief said he hoped to have the rules amended through negotiation -- but did not rule out legal action if needed.

He said: "It may be a Constitutional question as result of the regulating of a jet ski as opposed to other, similar craft. It's a question of the right to liberty.

"Sometimes one must fight for principles all the way...I feel like this about any discriminatory regulations.'' Mr. Perinchief added: "I just hate when people make regulations to appease a certain segment and penalise others with a broad brush stroke.

"It's an insult because it suggests I will utilise the power craft in an irresponsible way.''