Over the objections of the Police and Customs, a Magistrate has granted promoter Choy Aming a liquor licence for a cultural show at Number One Shed.

The decision followed a two-and-a-half-hour hearing on Monday which pitted the rights of a citizen to provide a service to enhance the tourism product against the efforts to stem the flow of drugs onto the Island and enhance security aginst potential terrorists.

And, unless the ruling is successfully appealed, it clears the way for Mr. Aming's Afro Caribbean Revue to be held three times a week at the Harbour Room in the Front Street facility.

Police and Customs said the proximity of the show to passengers exiting cruise ships would make it more difficult to catch drug importers coming off the ships.

Police Narcotics division head Supt. Larry Smith and Collector of Customs Winifred Fostine DeSilva cited statistics which showed that close to half of the drugs seized last year came off cruise ships.

In court to support Mr. Aming's application was Roger Sherratt, Secretary of the Corporation of Hamilton, which gave the promoter permission to use the Harbour Room, and Kevin Trott, head of Granite Enforcement, which will be providing security for the show.

"Of the 409 kilos seized, 25 percent came from cruise ships and 61 percent (of that) from the Hamilton Docks," said Supt. Smith.

The pair explained that cruise ship passengers are often caught after they have passed the gangway customs inspections as a result of surveillance and a night-club in a customs designated area would make surveillance more difficult while making it possible for drugs to be passed off to the patrons of the show before the importers reached street level.

Mrs. Fostine DeSilva said the United States is on a high security alert and while Bermuda's security risk was low, most cruise ship passengers are American and Customs and the Police are responsible for ensuring their safety.

"In fact all international port facilities are strengthening security at this time, not reducing controls on passengers," she said. "Having a nightclub on a site adjacent to our search area will pose a number of risks, not only to the passengers but also to our staff."

It was pointed out that Mr. Aming's show would last just two and a half hours and take place three nights a week, with the occasional weekend show.

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves questioned Mrs. Fostine DeSilva and Supt. Smith about their assessment that the show would pose a heightened security risk given that thousands of people congregate weekly on Front Street during the summer for Harbour Nights and that shops, restaurants, horse and carriage businesses all operate in close proximity to the ships.

He established that only random searches take place and that the area is not manned by Customs and Police at all times, but said that the Police could easily add an officer during the times of the show.

"We are talking about a show that is 33 years old that we want to stop because we have concerns about how people transit between the ship and street level," Mr. Greaves said. "If the state has to add an officer is that not a small cost?"

Mrs. Fostine DeSilva said there were other venues in Hamilton for the show and that there was also a risk of the public interfering with arrested people being escorted out of the area.

Mr. Greaves dismissed that with "locals won't be fighting to prevent them being arrested". He also questioned whether cruise ship passengers or crew caught with drugs were major importers.

After a site visit, Mr. Greaves decided that Mr. Aming could have his licence. He agreed that the show might slightly increase the odds of a drug importer making an exchange undetected. But he said the Police could take a number of measures to counteract that.

Additionally, he said, the show had substantial benefits to the local economy and would employ 60 taxi drivers, entertainers, security officers and waiters.

"It's a service I've been providing for the Island all these years. People come here and want to see steel band and calypso," said Mr. Aming after the hearing. "This was just so they can have a rum swizzle."