sentences as part of an all-out war on crime.

He declared a crime clampdown was key to solving Bermuda's tourism woes.

And he also sounded a warning about arguments for more cruise ships.

"Our guests are being attacked and threatened almost on a daily basis,'' the managing director of Cambridge Beaches said.

"The Police are catching them but the sentences given to offenders amount to a mild slap on the wrist and demonstrate to the would-be criminal that there is profit in crime.

"Sentences need to be increased, patrols have to be increased and the general public tolerance of such activities must be eliminated.

"We should all be shouting we have had enough. Only then will our politicians realise that we, the electorate, are serious and take the necessary action.'' Mr. Winfield praised Police Commissioner Colin Coxall, but said laws needed to be revised to ensure crime did not pay.

"In many parts of our Island our residents are fearful of their own security.'' Mr. Winfield said Government had started the process with initiatives announced in the Throne Speech.

"Let us hope all our members of Parliament support these first tentative steps in the real war against crime and get serious about this issue. It has to happen now.'' Mr. Winfield also touched on other areas which needed improving if the Island was to win back visitors.

"We must broaden our entertainment base giving activities to our guests throughout the day and evening, we must concentrate on ensuring our staff and our people generally are all committed to the provision of a friendly, first-class environment.

"We used to be known as having the friendliest people of all. This reputation is in serious danger of being eliminated.

"All of us, and I mean all, must get behind the Minister in his determination to provide a quality vacation experience.'' Mr. Winfield warned about heeding calls for more cruise ships.

"Clearly cruise ship visitors have some benefit for Bermuda. They do spend in our shops and to a limited degree use our infrastructure thereby benefiting the providers of ancillary tourism services.

"We should, however, recognise that cruise ships and those they bring to our Island provide only a distant financial contribution when compared to the resident guest.

"Guests coming to the Island and staying in our many hotels, pay hotel rates.

"This money is then passed through to a very wide cross-section of Bermuda from the telephone company to the electricity company, providers of food and beverages, companies selling the whole product of hotel inventory which makes up the guest experience, the staff working in those companies and the hotels and, of course, Government through occupancy tax.'' Mr. Winfield said resident guests took taxis, buses, rented mopeds and used those services far more than cruise ship visitors.

"The cruise ship visitor, on the other hand, eats most if not all of his meals on the cruise ship, usually eating products purchased at the point of departure.'' Mr. Winfield said the argument to increase ships largely came from a few select retailers who sold products to cruise passengers.

"They seek to increase the numbers of visitors largely in the hope that increase of any sort will probably rub off on their stores and that something will be purchased. But we must be very careful at playing this numbers game.'' CRIME CRM