Opposition Senate Leader Michael Dunkley said yesterday that discussion was needed on whether Bermuda should legalise gambling.

Sen. Dunkley told the Upper House during its Budget debate on tourism that other jurisdictions appeared to be benefiting from having gambling as a tourism attraction.

Sen. Dunkley claimed that the topic never got anywhere in Bermuda because "everybody who has the ability to make decisions is afraid to say what our approach should be".

Fellow senators laughed when he quickly added: "I'm not saying I support or am against it." He acknowledged their ribbing with a smile, adding: "I don't gamble but I'm not against gambling. I would like to have the discussion to see the pros and cons."

The former United Bermuda Party Leader said the issue would never go away if a frank discussion didn't take place.

Dr. Brown has previously said he is looking with interest at other jurisdictions such as Singapore that have relaxed their anti-gaming laws. And a poll in November 2006 showed that four in ten people on the Island would like to see new forms of gambling legalised.

Sen. Dunkley also raised the issue of faith-based tourism — the under-fire initiative formerly run by Premier Ewart Brown's political campaigner Andre Curtis — during his response to Junior Tourism Minister Wayne Caines' budget briefing for 2008/9.

He claimed money was "squandered" last year and that no one was held accountable over questions raised about the scheme. He challenged the Tourism Department to "get a better use of our taxpayers' dollars when it comes to faith-based tourism".

Sen. Caines spoke about how big events such as the PGA Grand Slam of Golf and Bermuda Music Festival were raising the Island's profile on the world stage and "planting the seed" for future tourism.

He said Government had a strategic plan for the next three to five years and that planned hotel developments — to be built in a phased way — would inject $2.2 billion into the economy.

Sen. Caines said cuts were being made in tourism spending, including ditching the toll free 1-800-BERMUDA telephone information service.

He said it cost $300,000 annually but now gets significantly fewer calls than when it was launched 15 years ago because people use the internet to research holiday destinations.

Opposition Senator Charles Swan questioned whether one-off events such as the Endurance World Open Bermuda 2007 squash championships — which attracted 250 tourists last year — really helped tourism as most of the visitors were probably taking part in the contest or friends and family of the players.

Government Senator Thaao Dill said that argument didn't necessarily make sense since he was always keen to return to places he'd visited on business if he got a warm welcome there.

Government Senator Walton Brown spoke of the need for Bermuda to keep attracting a relatively small group of "urbane travellers" with a high disposable income, pointing out that the Island could not handle huge numbers of tourists.