The "Prohibition of Gaming Machines Amendment Act 2009" currently before Parliament, which seeks to make related amendments to exempt certain passenger ships or categories of passenger ships from gaming and to permit the same to open retail shops on ships while in Bermuda, always was going to face an uphill battle in the House.

This is scheduled to be a "conscience vote" for the Government benches; therefore I am permitted to publicly publish my view that one has to treat as suspect the notion that Bermuda is losing its competitive advantage to other destinations, none of which (to my knowledge) permit gaming in port.

It was not long ago, and I believe it still to be the case, that Bermuda was such an attractive destination that we had the luxury of turning away cruise line companies. I believe still that we possess a strong bargaining chip (if you will pardon the gaming terminology) – without giving away the shop.

When I was Premier I was afforded the high honour of being invited by Prime Minister Patterson of Jamaica to dine with his Cabinet. Once pleasantries had been exchanged, the discussion turned to the decided advantage Bermuda held and holds with the cruise industry over the entire Caribbean region.

While we attract a head-tax of approximately $60 per passenger, the destinations to the south and elsewhere struggle to realise $5, $10 and $15 (at that time).

The Jamaican Ministers were astounded; however, the Prime Minister explained away the disparity by turning to his Cabinet colleagues and declaring simply "Bermuda is different".

In my view this difference will permit the Government and the Minister to negotiate us back into a very attractive position by lowering our head-tax to a rate which will not do a great injury to our coffers while providing our cruise industry partners with a decided marketing incentive for their customers.

This, to my way of thinking, would attract far more revenue for the industry than the promise of dockside gambling, which does not attract any passengers.

Further, I can state without hesitation that as one who has met with Heads of State in the region and cruised extensively, that should we do the unthinkable and permit the cruise industry billion dollar corporations the extraordinary facility of gaming at portside with their retail shops open, then we will be used by these corporate giants to pressure every other destination in the region and around the world to now recognise the precedent set by Bermuda.

Now, I turn to the more conventional argument offered by those in our community who resist the idea of organised gaming in Bermuda whether it be: a casino ensconced in one of the high rise buildings currently being imposed on the Hamilton sky-line; an established hotel with a large area hastily transformed for games of chance; a cruise liner at dockside, or a venue for the formally attired to gamble the night away in a Monte Carlo modelled casino on one of our islands located in Hamilton Harbour or the Little and/or Great Sound.

This senior parliamentarian is hearing the strains of a "Siren Song", with the beguiling false promise of riches, which those who tote gaming invariably hold out as the solution to any financial ill or fiscal shortfall.

Again, as Premier I had the cherished opportunity to meet with both Senator McCain in Washington DC and Prime Minster Blair of Great Britain – here in Bermuda.

On the issue of gaming in Bermuda, the Senator said he was pleased to hear that I did not support it, because he said: "Premier, it has been my experience that with casinos the 'house' gets the profits and the community gets the problems."

Again, as we hosted Prime Minister Blair at Camden, and the conversation turned to his opinion of my thoughts about gaming in Bermuda, I informed him that it was not encouraged.

His response was immediate: "Good, because I would think that the attraction of Bermuda is that it is so different to many other destinations."

He continued that to his way of thinking gaming in Bermuda was not consistent with our charm and tranquillity – he felt Bermuda was a place where one came to "get away from it all", and we should do everything possible to keep it that way.

Right or wrong, many see the passage or success of this amendment in Parliament as the proverbial 'thin edge of an unpalatable wedge'.

The late Hubert Smith was lyrically correct: "Bermuda is another world". Let's keep it that way!

Alex Scott was Premier of Bermuda from 2003 to 2006 and is the Progressive Labour Party MP for Warwick South East