The responsibility for Bermuda's flights should be taken away from Tourism Minister David Allen and given to Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown, Sen. Max Burgess said.

The Opposition Senator argued that splitting responsibility for air routes and the airport between the two ministries is "like a bad marriage''.

"I urge the Government to give single-handed responsibility of the air routes to the Minister of Transport,'' he said.

"I believe the Minister of Transport is far more capable to assist us with air routes than this marriage which isn't working.'' He said Government must "allow the Minister of Transport to hang on to this asset''.

And Mr. Burgess predicted that if Dr. Brown was allowed control over the airline routes, the Island would see an increase in air arrivals within the next 12 months. "I have that much faith in the current Minister of Transport,'' he said.

He contrasted that prediction with the record of Tourism Minister David Allen.

Mr. Burgess read from a statement Shadow Minister for Tourism David Dodwell gave in Parliament pointing to the losses of the TWA flight, the seasonal Delta flight out of Atlanta, and the Crown Dynasty cruise line.

Air arrivals are at the lowest level in 20 years, he said, and the responsibility falls to Minister Allen.

"And the Minister of Transport has to deal with that man every day -- I can only imagine what he has to go through,'' said Mr. Burgess.

But Government Senator Calvin Smith defended the current sharing of responsibility for air travel between the two ministers.

Mr. Smith said that the Minister of Transport was not responsible for figuring out who is coming to the Island or bringing in more people, clearly that falls to the Minister of Tourism.

"I think (Mr. Burgess) knows that, I think he's teasing there,'' said Sen.

Smith. He added that Mr. Burgess should not try to give the public the impression that cooperation isn't taking place between the two ministers.

"The job is being done excellently by both ministers,'' he said.