The Senate approved a new $4.25 airport security fee yesterday during the final session of the year.

The fee is intended to defray costs of security at the airport and will be added on to the price of flight tickets beginning next month.

But Opposition Senator Kim Swan questioned whether the fee needed to be so high, saying the cost of the new security machine for the airport is roughly $400,000 but suggested the fee is expected to bring an additional $2 million in revenue each year.

"We feel the Government is doing an overkill in revenue raising," he said.

But Independent Senator Jeannette Cannonier and Senate President Alfred Oughton suggested that airport security is certainly an area where Government should not scrimp. "This is one area where we can't afford to be chintzy," said Sen. Oughton. He also said he had recently read of a similar measure introduced in Canada at a cost of $24 per person. Government Senator Milton Scott - who introduced the draft regulations putting in place the fee - said that the additional security measures were not in response to September 11 terrorist attacks but had been moved forward after the attacks.

And Sen. Scott said the revenue earned by the new fee would replace monies earmarked for airport security which had been previously taken from the consolidated fund. The Upper House also approved a Customs Duty deferral for Destiny Tours.

Destiny Tours was granted a five year deferral of Customs duty to bring in a new tour boat to the Island.

Government Senator Patrice Parris explained that a similar provision was made last year for the WildCat tour boat. Sen. Swan questioned whether similar concessions might also be made to existing tour boat operators who may be struggling.

But Senators Milton Scott and Patrice Parris replied that tour operators can make similar applications to the Minister of Finance for deferrals which would be considered individually.