Bermuda Electric Light Company has infused $50,000 into an initiative aimed at plugging the Island's tourism industry.

Belco president and CEO Garry Madeiros yesterday announced the investment to support the third and fourth phases of the Monitor-advised Tourism Competitiveness Programme.

TCP is the umbrella name for the growing number of Bermuda-led initiatives to restore the competitiveness and prosperity of the Island's tourism industry.

The programme was launched in 1997 with the initial study and public presentation of results provided by Monitor Company. Phases two and three have focussed on converting the insights contained in Monitor's initial studies into action.

Both the public and private sectors, including local and foreign companies and unions, have supported and overseen TCP from its inception.

All groups have provided financial resources to support the programme's expenses, including retaining Monitor as the programme's advisor. And they have committed human and other non-financial resources to the programme's initiatives.

Mr. Madeiros said Belco's investment was in line with the company's long-standing commitment to support positive change in the community.

"We at Belco take very seriously our responsibility to help those in Bermuda who work to ensure that all of our citizens will be able to enjoy a high and rising standard of living,'' he noted.

"Vince Ingham, our employees and I have supported the Tourism Competitiveness Programme from the beginning. We have met with them and shared our ideas, even commented on their progress in our internal newsletter. I am very happy to see so many Bermudians now assuming leadership roles in the programme, and I support Monitor's continued efforts to further train this local leadership to sustain the programme under Bermudian direction.'' Tourism Minister David Allen welcomed Belco's investment in the programme.

"Belco's support for the hospitality industry is noteworthy and is the kind of civic-minded action which the entire business community must take,'' Mr.

Allen said.

"I congratulate and commend them.

"The Tourism Competitiveness Programme is fundamental to Bermuda restoring its competitiveness in tourism. We, the Government, look forward to continuing the partnership which has developed with companies like Belco, and we, as announced in my recent budget presentation in Parliament, remain a committed investor.'' Cummings Zuill, chairman of CAG Ltd. -- the local company which oversees Monitor's operations in Bermuda -- said he too appreciated the support which TCP has from both the public and private sectors.

"I want to thank Belco for its leadership investment,'' Mr. Zuill said.

"When this initiative began people said you could never get Government and industry to agree on anything.

"It has traditionally been very difficult to get labour and management to see eye-to-eye on complex issues. These things are happening. Monitor's support to committed local leaders is a combination which is proving powerful and helping Bermuda to do things it has never done before, but which it must if we are to have a prosperous tourism industry.''