the Tourism Minister said yesterday.

The Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge said crime, drugs and the restructuring of schools should have priority over "going it alone''.

And he said the UBP had strayed from its principles over the Independence issue.

Tourism, the lifeblood of Bermuda's economy, should be placed on the front burner of the national agenda and the costs of Independence should be examined.

International business should be coveted and lessons drawn from withdrawals from Hong Kong as the colony moves towards full Chinese control, he said.

And he said the Country is being led to the Referendum under a Government that has no mandate to discuss Independence.

Mr. Woolridge made his anti-Independence stance plain as he spoke to Hamilton Rotary yesterday.

"Let me make it clear that I am not in favour of Independence at this time.

Not until we can speak as one people with one voice. Bermuda has never been more divided than it is today,'' he said.

On tourism, Mr. Woolridge said Bermuda needed to focus on growing competition, raising the standards of facilities and service, encouraging foreign investors, improving labour union relations and reducing costs.

"Our visitors once perceived Bermuda to be expensive, now they are saying it and saying it loud and clear by their absence,'' he said.

"Our failure to address these issues will guarantee that visitors will go elsewhere. Surely you will agree that this is where our focus should be rather than Independence.'' He also posed a question over whether Bermuda would maintain its social and political stability which were essential ingredients for the retention of foreign investors.

"These are not questions that just need to be answered, but assurances that should be given before we embark on that slippery road of no return.'' On costs, Mr. Woolridge said the Regiment would cost $12 million a year, compared with $4 million now, costs of foreign missions would result in higher taxation and international business could be put off by instability.

"Independence is one of those feel-good expressions that some people will have you believe will change your life. Of course it will. The trouble is no-one thus far has convinced me that this change will be for the better.'' The UBP, said Mr. Woolridge, was founded on sound principles with a pledge to provide a partnership designed to embrace everyone. Somewhere, said Mr.

Woolridge, the party had lost its way.

"At no time during the 1993 election campaign did the words `Referendum' or `Independence' appear on our platform. Nowhere in our blueprint of 110 items for the future did they appear,'' he said.

"Yet for the last 18 months the country has been bombarded, torn apart and divided over an issue that has no mandate. So on August 15, vote no and let's get Bermuda back on track.'' Minister condemns fear tactics: Page 3.