The Hon. Quinton Edness incited howls of protest from MPs on both sides of the House on Friday when he broached the subject of women in politics during the last day of debate on the November 4 Throne Speech.

"If we are going to have more women in this House,'' the Health and Social Services Minister told the Assembly, "we must put some programmes in place to take care of their children.'' The suggestion that only women were responsible for the raising and care of children did not sit well with some female members.

"What about the fathers?'' queried Shadow Human Affairs Minister Ms Renee Webb. "That's chauvinism!'' "I don't believe it!'' chorused UBP MP the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto from the Minister's own backbench.

Mr. Edness did not back down, however, claiming he had been misunderstood by the members and had always supported an effective national daycare programme.

He added that fathers were as vital to the child-rearing process as women.

Mr. Edness brought up the the empowerment of women as one of the factors that had to be addressed if crime and substance abuse were to be eradicated in Bermuda.

Closely connected to those two problems, he said, were the issues of poverty and hopelessness, which the Minister claimed were plaguing too many women and children.

"We all have a responsibility to get these children off the street,'' he said. "Am I being understood? We have lost track somewhere. We have got to make children our priority and we have got to do it together.'' Earlier, Opposition whip Mr. Stanley Lowe urged Government to stop talking about drugs and crime and do something about them.

"Government has been talking about a national drug policy and putting in place a national drug authority,'' he said. "But we need to get on with it.

Where are the resouces to fight this war? It behoves us to get on with the job.'' Paraphrasing US politician Mr. Newt Gingrich, he added: "(On this matter) we will co-operate but not compromise.'' Shadow Labour and Home Affairs Minister Mr. Alex Scott, meanwhile, said Government could start empowering all Bermudians by ensuring them full employment.

"We must make it equally distasteful to bring non-Bermudians into the Country when a Bermudian could do a job just as well,'' he said. "Because when that happens, Bermudians become unemployed. When that happens, Bermudians become pot users and abusers.'' Mr. Scott said the Island was also paying a financial price for failing to "Bermudianise'' its tourism industry. Taxpayers were forking out for every Bermudian on the dole claiming social assistance.

"The cash register is ring up another dollar,'' he said.

Mr. Scott said some $9 million was paid out in 1994 for social assistance. And yet Government did not show the will or the heart to put Bermudians first in the workplace. Keeping Bermudians employed also would cut down on the prison population, Mr. Scott continued.

Preventing a man from losing his job was the same as saving a man from being detained.

Mr. Scott claimed Bermudians were losing out in the workplace at the Belmont Hotel. One non-Bermudian at the hotel had even been sent abroad to be trained.

Concern about the way Bermudians were being treated had been expressed in a letter by Belmont Hotel managers, said Mr. Scott. But Government washed its hands of such controversies, he added.

"Their attitude is to let the workplace decide such matters.'' Mr. Scott said the Belmont controversy mirrored what was happening throughout the Island's hotel industry. "It is time for Government to seriously consider an Ombudsman.'' Mr. Scott continued by repeating PLP calls for a Labour Summit in an attempt to boost stability in the workplace. It was important for labour and management to get together and review how they should proceed.

Turning to Stonington, Mr. Scott said Bermuda had one of the best training schools for people wanting a career in the hospitality industry.

The school even attracted students from overseas. One of them had come from St. Lucia and stayed at his home, said Mr. Scott.

He added the student started to receive correspondence from leading properties in St. Lucia wanting to employ him.

"I asked him whether he had written to these properties, and he told me he hadn't.

"He said he had written to the Minister of Tourism in St. Lucia who had supported him and had been in touch with the properties.'' Mr. Scott wondered why Bermuda's Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge did not support Bermudians the same way.

He then turned to clergymen, saying many of them were also losing out to non-Bermudians.

"We have members of the clergy who are unemployed, who have sterling qualifications.'' A group of concerned Anglicans had even found it necessary to form a committee to represent their interests.

Government had to show a greater sense of responsibility towards Bermudians, said Mr. Scott.

"It must be collective responsibility on the other side. We on this side are a voice crying in the wilderness.'' Mr. Scott then turned to the Police, saying there were male and female officers who felt they had a very tenuous hold on their jobs.

The Bermuda Police report for 1993 demonstrated a very high turn over of cadets. An investigation into why this was happening was needed, said Mr.

Scott.

Mr. Scott also trained the spotlight on the international business community.

He said it made good business sense for Bermudians to be employed there.

Bermudians would then inform their cousins, brothers, sisters and other relatives about the international business sector, thus creating greater local sympathy for this part of the economy.

Switching to long-term residents, Mr. Scott said there was a great deal of misunderstanding about them. There was no doubt taking up the cause of long-term residents was not "good politics''.

But, he stressed, there would be more sympathy for their cause if Bermudians were given priority in the workplace.

It was when Bermudians were overlooked that they felt less inclined to embrace the idea of extending rights of long-term residents and their spouses.

Mr. Scott ended by spotlighting the case of a microfilm technician dealing with archive materials.

The person's contract was now being put on hold.

It was feared the technician's job was being "contracted outside Bermuda''.

"The stress is affecting her health, and affecting her family.'' Mr. Scott said it would make good business sense to continue the archive service in Bermuda, adding the Opposition intending bringing a motion to Parliament on the labour scene here.

Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge immediately attacked Mr. Scott for sounding like a "prophet of doom''.

"Anyone listening to him would think there is nothing right in this Country.'' He also criticised Mr. Scott for being presumptuous enough to tell the Police how to recruit.

And he took aim at him over his remarks about how the Tourism Minister in St.

Lucia had helped one of his country's students find work in the hotel industry.

Mr. Woolridge said he would be "compromising'' himself if he started trying to find work for Bermudians.

He accused Mr. Scott of engaging in "window dressing'' through his comments to the House, and leading Bermudians astray.

Mr. Woolridge went on to line Shadow Minister Mr. David Allen firmly in his sights.

He set out to systematically counter Mr. Allen's criticisms of Government.

It was clear from his trips to overseas travel conferences, said Mr.

Woolridge, that Bermuda was held in very high esteem.

"We are looked upon as people who have managed to restructure ourselves, and maintain the high end of the market.'' Mr. Woolridge scotched suggestions money should have been spent on throwing parties for the agents who supported the Island's tourism.

"I think we are spending our money more wisely.'' On Mr. Allen's calls for the European market to be tapped, Mr. Woolridge said United Kingdom business was up 22 percent.

British Airways had also put on extra flights, and intended doing so again next year.

There were plans for a third flight on March 4, and a fourth one on June 4, said Mr. Woolridge.

"Why? Because the demand is there.'' Mr. Woolridge also defended the recent "black'' golf tournament.

Despite being tagged a "black'' event, it was open to anyone and a white man, the son of the Speaker, had won, he said.

The tournament would ensure Bermuda is portrayed in a very good light on the black entertainment network.

Mr. Woolridge rejected criticism of Government's charter airlines policy. "We have a very flexible policy,'' he said.

He pointed out Bermuda was the envy of many other Islands because it was serviced by 13 flights a day out of 10 gateway cities.

Other Islands, meanwhile, shot themselves in the foot through their charter policies.

Mr. Woolridge hailed Bermuda as a venue for major sporting activities, despite PLP criticism.

Two weeks ago there had been the Tattoo, and this weekend saw the Bermuda Bowl -- an American football game featuring college students.

The Goodwill Tournament, and other events were also on the sporting calendar, added Mr. Woolridge.

On the recent crime wave, Mr. Woolridge said fliers were being distributed warning people to keep their valuables secure.

But Government was careful not to engage in "overkill'' and unnecessarily alarm visitors.

He went on to sound a warning about the crime wave and the danger it presented to Bermuda's economic health.

Government had been forced to "soften'' the image of Bermuda as a relatively crime-free destination.

The boast about Bermuda's safety was being eased out, he said.

Mr. Woolridge turned briefly to entertainment at hotels.

He accepted more could be laid on for guests at night, but this was a matter for hoteliers.

Touching on convention business, Mr. Woolridge said Bermuda was already reaping the benefits of this, and had won major tourism awards for its efforts.

As far as Mr. Allen's call for a sixth cruise ship arriving in Hamilton on weekends, Mr. Woolridge was scathing.

He did not believe there was a market for a sixth ship.

If such a ship was introduced it would take away passengers from the other cruise liners, and present enormous difficulties, he said.

Mr. Woolridge then strongly defended Bermuda's advertising and promotion.

He stressed people involved in filming and promoting the Island were Bermudians, contrary to PLP assertions.

And as regards Mr. Allen's appeal for scuba diving holidays to be organised, this was already being done.

Turning to Club Med, Mr. Woolridge said Government had already directed the hotel be put in proper condition by March so the lease negotiations could be carried out.

This had already been reported in The Royal Gazette , and it was clear Mr.

Allen was not keeping himself informed.

Mr. Woolridge continued by rejecting the notion departure and passenger taxes deterred visitors from the Island.

"That is sheer and utter nonsense.'' Mr. Woolridge finally turned to visitor arrival figures.

He accepted they had fallen short of his hoped-for 10 percent increase on the previous year, but visitor spending had risen. This was extremely important.

Mr. Woolridge ended by taking another potshot at Mr. Allen, accusing him of continually "babbling'' on without a clue as to what he is talking about.

The Throne Speech debate then ended at about 7.30 p.m. -- several hours earlier than many MPs had predicted.

There were only a handful of MPs in the chamber when Speaker the Hon. Ernest DeCouto asked if anybody wanted to speak. Nobody stood up.