trying to find a way to success. The problem seems to be that the trustees built a lavish and hugely expensive building but forgot to put practically anything in it which people would like to go and see.

The costs rose from an initial prediction of $4 million to a whopping $22 million and still, aside from some very beautiful sea shells and an amateurish undersea dive, there is little to see. Before the institute opened, it was said it would need 120,000 to 130,000 paid entrances a year to be secure. The first six months, when there was a good deal of curiosity there were 18,000 entrances which might mean 36,000 for the year which is about a third of what they need.

In the meantime, the Institute has provided a fancy and high quality restaurant, but one which is not geared to the needs of Institute visitors, and some attractive function rooms which are being touted around and must produce income for the Institute. Whether the restaurant and the function rooms can be justified in an Institute which was created with charity money we have some doubts.

Now there are suggestions that the BUEI is to go on the offensive for more customers. Other food facilities are to be provided. The disappointing dive is to be altered. There is to be a live video link-up with the south shore reefs which we understand will be very expensive. In our view it will take a good deal more to make people flock to BUEI.

Far too many customers come away saying, "What is it supposed to be?'' Or they simply say: "There's nothing there to see except the shells.'' It is hard to figure out what happened. Bermuda seems to have a huge white elephant which soaked up large amounts of charity money to no real purpose. It was touted as something exciting for visitors to do in Bermuda but the visitors seem to find it disappointing, especially since there are so many exciting sea-oriented places in the US. Bermudians go once, yawn and do not seem interested in rushing back again.

We agree with the BUEI Chairman Lt. Col. Brendan Hollis when he says, "It is a big project and there is a lot to learn.'' Yet we have to remember that BUEI was created by a group who were reputed to have the best business brains in Bermuda. Yet they failed to provide any real concept which the public would find interesting, much less exciting. The problem seems to be that we have a large and spectacularly located restaurant with a good gift shop and a small sideshow. Surely that was not the intent.

We agree that Bermuda needs more attractions for visitors and that this could have been one. The fact is that it is not and we suspect that solutions to the problem involve millions of dollars more than the $22 million it has already cost. Yet charity funds are not bottomless and BUEI has already soaked up more than its fair share.