in the House of Assembly yesterday.

Shadow Environment Minister Leon (Jimmy) Williams said he feared the telecommunications firm had "gone into the real estate business.'' The land -- around an acre and a half -- was sold for $40,000 to Government for use as public open space.

Government backbencher Leonard Gibbons said that it was good deal for Government, given the price of land on the Island and he could see no grounds for complaint on negotiating a good deal.

Shadow Finance Minister Eugene Cox took aim at loose use of the word "professional'' when Environment Minister Irving Pearman introduced the Professional Surveyors Amendment Act 1997.

The legislation provides for a council to police surveyors and guarantee minimum standards.

But Mr. Cox said: "What we are trying to do here is take a non-profession and call it a profession -- all that needed to be done was register the people, not call them professional, which they aren't.'' And he said surveyors could not be put on the same footing as architects and engineers.

Technology Minister John Barritt said the dictionary definition of "professional'' certainly appeared to cover surveyors.

And Mr. Pearman said that, considering the value of ships covered by marine surveyors, they had to be very professional people.

During the motion to adjourn, Shadow Tourism Minister David Allen pointed out a show featuring entertainer Gene Steede at Hamilton's Pier Six had been axed because of low numbers going to the club.

He said Government had committed itself to promoting local entertainment and accused the Tourism Ministry of failing to back the show during Heritage Month.

He added that Tourism Minister David Dodwell had been seen to be a supporter of the club when it opened -- and that Tourism had held a function there, although the same function was set to be held elsewhere instead.

And he called on Government to back entrepreneurs so they could be seen to be succeeding.

But Tourism Minister David Dodwell said Government could not legislate for the success or failure of individual businesses.

Opposition House Leader Reginald Burrows called for more charter flights from gateway airports -- and to run them in peak season.

Ottiwell Simmons (PLP) questioned why, while some big hotels had closed, the lessening of competition had not boosted survivors. He called for an inquiry into the competence of the Tourism Department.

Grace Bell (UBP) said the battle against drugs could not be won, even with the success of Operation Cleansweep, unless communities stood up and were counted as footsoldiers in the war.

Elizabeth Cadell, a former sub-editor at The Royal Gazette , who died suddenly a fortnight ago, was remembered by Tim Smith UBP.

Mr. Smith -- whose wife Sue was a close friend of Ms Cadell's -- said the English-born newswoman would be sadly missed by her friends in Bermuda.