negativity'' in the hotel industry was discouraging Bermudians from joining it.

And he said it was time to stop "attacking'' those already in the hotel industry and appreciate what they do.

"I think service workers have endured enough of those windbag speakers who continue to attack and demoralise the people who wait hand and foot on our guests while they sit home in the evenings watching TV or enjoying weekends and public holidays at their expense,'' he said.

Mr. Cowen said there was "something special'' about hotel employees. "For the most part they are not appreciated for their diligence and devotion,'' he said. "Job security is not guaranteed, the hours are long with dead ends along the way...

"We all wonder why tourism is at its lowest level for years and why we don't attract more Bermudians into the industry. Do you get the feeling that whatever suggestion is publicly aired from those outside Government it is viewed as inappropriate and not worthy of consideration?'' Mr. Cowen, who manages Pink Beach cottage colony, was speaking to about 40 professional men and women attending a Bermuda Training and Development Association forum on the topic: Training -- Who is Responsible? He said it has been estimated by the year 2000 that 75 percent of all employees in the United States will need to be retrained or taught fresh skills "as their volatile economy continually redefines jobs''.

Added Mr. Cowen: "If tourism continues to decline in Bermuda we may all have to become offshore bankers and insurance experts since we can no longer take hoe in hand or catch fish for a living.'' Mr. Cowen said the Island should not expect educators to take all the responsibility in preparing people for the work force.

"Our work force, our students and our families must begin to understand that learning is paramount to a successful life,'' he said.

He suggested: "Perhaps an aim for the 1990s is to encourage more Bermuda businesses to formulate scholarships that put students into a variety of programmes. These could be four- to six-month sessions at various approved centres of learning...'' Other speakers at the forum included BPSA general secretary Mr. Eugene Blakeney MP, Bermuda Employers Council executive director Mr. Malcolm Dixon, Mr. Stuart Doyle, Sen. Alex Scott, Sonesta Beach youth and resource director Mrs. Teri Seymour and Shadow Education Minister Miss Jennifer Smith.

Sen. Scott said unless businesses and Government take the initiative in education and retraining the Island will continue to "haemorrhage'' through the loss of funds by foreign workers sending money home.

"If Bermuda is to be run efficiently it must have sufficiently trained people to meet the country's needs and retrain those in the workplace to meet new needs, especially in light of redundancies and the recession,'' he said. Miss Seymour said it was important we teach young people to be hungry for education and success, which will lead to more money.

She said too many young people are in a hurry to graduate from high school and get to work -- no matter what the pay or their future prospects.

Miss Smith said schools must teach interpersonal skills to prepare students for the workplace.

"Students do not just need academic skills, they need employability skills,'' she said. "Our schools do not teach speech or dress codes to youngsters but those are the top things employers look for during job interviews.'' MR. W. A. (Toppy) Cowen.