The United Bermuda Party is riding a wave of hypocrisy on the cruise ship gaming issue and they should be challenged.

Proposed legislation in the House of Assembly would vastly enhance the Government's ability to attract cruise ships to Hamilton and St. George's by permitting gaming on-board between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Yet, based on debate thus far in the House, the Opposition opposes the measure. That's hypocritical.

Not long ago Opposition Leader Kim Swan said: "For the first time since the start of the modern cruise ship era, the schedule for Hamilton did not have a dedicated ship, leaving retailers with fewer customers and the prospect of staff layoffs. A more determined effort by the government could have brought ships to Hamilton."

Well, if Mr. Swan wants to see a dedicated ship for Hamilton he can make it so with a yes vote; or at least allow Opposition Members to vote their conscience. That's what the Government back bench is doing.

Holland America (HA) is committed to Hamilton and St. George's for 2010 with 24 visits. That's about $8.3 million in revenue for Bermuda.

However the bosses at HA are waiting to see how MPs vote on shipboard gaming before deciding what to do about 2011 and beyond. Without casinos, they'll probably go somewhere else.

You can't blame them. Bermuda is a unique cruise destination. Ships do not arrive at 8 a.m. and depart at 5 p.m. They stay overnight. If we want to have more cruise ships overnight we need to be flexible. We cannot expect cruise ships to come to Bermuda if they can make more money on a multi-island itinerary where casinos are open while the ships are at sea sailing to the next destination.

Also remember, finding cruise ships small enough to fit into Hamilton and St. George's is tough business. They are increasingly more difficult to attract because the quantity of small ships is constantly shrinking. Plus it costs less to operate ships in other destinations where there is no squeeze on the cruise lines' ability to generate revenue.

However the Corporations of Hamilton and St. George's say they want ships. And now there is a plan to get them and keep them, but the Opposition is perhaps the only thing standing in the way.

I should point out that there has yet to be a vote on the bill that would allow cruise ship gaming, but based on floor debate it seems most Government Members support it and all Opposition Members are against it.

Some Government Members oppose for moral reasons, but it seems Opposition Members oppose the measure as part of a "defeat whatever law we can" strategy. Hence the hypocrisy, in my view.

It's not everyday you find the Opposition blocking something the Corporation of Hamilton, the Corporation of St. George's, the Chamber of Commerce and the West End Development Corporation say they want.

Each of those organisations supports the bill. In fact, the Opposition is oddly contradicting itself. Opposition Sen. Michael Dunkley said: "There was the nonsensical lack of dedicated cruise ships on Front Street and in St. George. As a result, cruise arrivals fell an astonishing 19 percent for the year, prompting layoffs and business closures."

That's not entirely accurate but I get his point.

So then, it appears Mr. Dunkley should deliver a message to his party colleagues. He should tell them we will probably lose the only dedicated ship for Hamilton and St. George's if the "defeat whatever" strategy continues.

By the way, another cruise line is interested in St. George's for 2011, but it too is waiting to see if the best interests of the country can trump politics.

Mention that by this summer's end, the 2011 schedules need to be set so time is of the essence. He can also bring up the fact that Norwegian has written to say they're sticking with Bermuda, but without gaming legislation they'll leave Dockyard one night early so they can open their casinos once out at sea.

Then he needs to tell his colleagues that sometimes independent thinking is warranted, an occasion when each Member votes his conscience with the understanding that the wisdom of elected representatives should be enough to create an outcome in the best interest of the country.

The bill that allows shipboard gaming has become a referendum on cruise ships in Hamilton and St. George's. If you want them, vote yes; if you don't, vote no. If the decision is void of hypocrisy that would be nice too.

David Burt is the Progressive –Labour Party's chairman