It is too early to give a detailed response to the new cruise ship strategy until an extensive study can be done on how stakeholders could be affected, Opposition Tourism Minister David Dodwell said yesterday.

But Corporation of Hamilton Secretary Roger Sherratt said he believed the policy was well-balanced.

On Friday, Tourism Minister David Allen revealed the strategy in the House of Assembly. Recommendations included improving the port facilities in Hamilton and St. George's to accommodate larger ships, increasing the daily passenger limit to 7,500 from 6,500, and a study to examine the moving of the container dock to another location.

“It's an interesting new policy,” Corporation of Hamilton Secretary Roger Sherratt said last night.

He said although the Corporation has plans to discuss the new strategy in the near future, at first glance it seemed like it could give Hamilton retail sales figures a much needed boost.

“Retailers in Hamilton are suffering with a drop in air arrivals, so increasing the daily passenger limit from 6,500 to 7,500 may help them further,” he said.

Mr. Sherratt also said the Corporation definitely agreed that the passenger docks needed to be upgraded and that it was very interested in the idea of the container docks moving to another location.

Mr. Dodwell told The Royal Gazette that the United Bermuda Party (UBP) was happy to see the policy, which he said was a long time in the making: “I think the UBP is glad to finally see it after four years of PLP Government,” he said.

“We've been calling for it and could not understand how important decisions could be made without it.”

The Shadow Tourism Minister added that his study would include sitting down with a cross-section of people which will include taxi drivers, retailers, and hotels in order to assess the impact the cruise ship strategy could have within the community.

However, Mr. Dodwell said that the UBP felt that it was most critical to ensure that the infrastructure is capable of handling what the policy directs and that there is the right balance between air arrivals and cruise ship passengers.