could better cope with the tourism slump.

Transport Minister the Hon. Ralph Marshall and Deputy Opposition Leader Mr.

Walter Roberts were speaking on the first day of the Commonwealth Small Countries Conference at Nassau in the Bahamas on Monday.

Mr. Marshall told delegates hotels should reduce room rates to attract more visitors, while air fares would have to be made inviting.

Mr. Roberts said Bermuda's unemployment problem was made worse by inadequate training and education.

He said education needed to be revamped to meet current and future needs.

And he said lay-offs in Bermuda's labour-intensive hotel industry should be reduced by distributing jobs more equitably and reducing hours.

Former Opposition Leader Mrs. Lois Browne-Evans, who is in Nassau for a women lawyers' meeting, joined the conference for a discussion of the role of women in development.

She said paying lip service to the notion of enhancing the status of women was not enough. The law must uphold this status by removing job and wage discrimination, fostering equality of opportunity, increasing deterrents against abuse, and preserving women's dignity and feminity.

The conference agreed that in the present recession it was important to minimise the primacy of political parties, to reduce factionalism in Parliament, and foster cooperation among political groups.

Other Bermudian delegates are Mrs. Grace Bell (UBP) and Mr. James Smith, clerk to the legislature.