There is an enormous political lesson to be learned here. One decision by the Minister of Finance to allow a former Premier and a sitting UBP MP to get into the controversial fast food franchise business has plagued this Government for years, contributed heavily to the downfall of Premier David Saul and now threatens the career of Wayne Furbert.

We do not believe that Mr. Furbert is guilty of anything more than a small misjudgment in allowing a company in which his wife is involved to provide a temporary quick fix of a vending facility at the Airport for visitors who need service. We see no sinister intent on Mr. Furbert's part. The Airport needs that service because Grape Bay Ltd. has not fulfilled its plan to provide Airport catering. Presumably those behind Grape Bay are hoping that a pending court case will allow them to create McDonald's at the Airport and forever embarrass Bermuda by saying hail and farewell to visitors with a McDonald's franchise.

We agree with Shadow Transport Minister Dennis Lister when he is quoted as saying that Grape Bay Ltd. should honour the lease at the Airport. There would have been no need for temporary service by anyone if Grape Bay Ltd. had fulfilled its duty. Its Airport contract was for food service and not specifically for McDonald's and it should either provide that service or give up the space to someone who will. Senior leaders of Bermuda should not be in the disgraceful position of depriving visitors of Airport food service especially in a tourism crisis. All of Bermuda is being urged to help with tourism. Why should Grape Bay Ltd. be any different? UBP MP Trevor Moniz, who wants a register of interests for parliamentarians, says that Mr. Furbert would not be in a difficult position if Bermuda had that register. We agree but we think that the register should also require a declaration of any gift over a nominal value including travel tickets, free trips on yachts, or any other kind of present of any value. That is what mature countries require. In the last few years there have been disturbing stories of politicians of both parties accepting lavish yachting trips and taking cash gifts from the rich who live in Bermuda.