IN a published report of a recent speech, Premier Jennifer Smith said one of the successes of her four years as Head of the Bermuda Government has been turning Bermuda tourism around.

Another published report claims tourism has just sustained its 17th straight year of decline. Which do we believe?

From what I see, the continuing decline of tourism is the more accurate conclusion. Only a dedicated devotee of Miller's joke book could feel that tourism has been turned around!

Obviously, the Premier prefers her version. Why else would she reduce the Ministry of Tourism to the status of a part-time job, even though tourism remains Bermuda's most important ministry?

The Premier followed up her astonishing assessment by deciding that her part-time Minister should be none other than Telecommunications Minister Ren?e Webb. It would be difficult to imagine a more unlikely appointment. Ms Webb seems never happier than when she is embroiled in controversy. There is no place in tourism for that kind of personality.

Most Bermudians, directly and indirectly, depend on tourism for employment. It is equally obvious that the Smith Government does not feel that the livelihood of a very large segment of Bermudians is sufficiently important to warrant a full-time Tourism Minister, as it always has been until now.

There should be no "watering down" of Tourism by squeezing it into the portfolio of Ren?e Webb, who should be giving her full time to Telecommunications, an extremely demanding job.

There are at least three Government back-benchers who could certainly do a better job as a full-time Tourism Minister than Ren?e Webb will do as a part-time one.

The Premier makes ministerial appointments mostly from within an inner clique, and leaves the back- benchers to languish in virtual isolation.

How dedicated is Premier Smith to the countless Bermudians who would benefit from a normal and efficiently run Tourism Ministry?

Some ministries can be combined. Tourism is not one of them.

Being made responsible for handling two of the most vital portfolios in Government is so ludicrous that one wonders how Ren?e Webb could have been talked into accepting such an off-the-wall deal in the first place.

Maybe she does not appreciate the full value of the Ministry of Tourism either.