has been very little indication of that and Bermuda Properties gave every appearance of attempting to make a great deal of money out of Bermuda land without offering Bermuda anything much in return.

It now seems that Bermuda Properties has a major financial backer in the United States which will not enter into arrangements to finance the Castle Harbour Hotel redevelopment unless Bermuda Properties can raise cash from the Ship's Hill project. For the first time, there is some credibility to the project.

The Ship's Hill development on top of sensitive caves will remain a highly controversial project and an environmental problem no matter how many Environment Ministers agree for it to proceed and no matter how many restrictions Ministers place on the development. Environmentalists have done everything they can to fight the plan but Environment Minister Harry Soares has turned down their appeals and granted permission for what is a very extensive plan. That plan has already received the blessing of a Progressive Labour Party Shadow Minister.

Many Bermudians see the project as exploiting Bermuda and they will not change their views in a hurry. However there is always the possibility that those strong views will soften once the project is in place and if it is tastefully done in keeping with the wooded hillside.

From the very beginning Bermuda Properties has had very poor public relations.

If they had explained early on just how Ship's Hill tied in with the future of the hotel they would have created a very different impression. Instead they led the public to think that the only benefit to Castle Harbour Hotel might be the unknown quantity of custom the hotel would receive from Ship's Hill residents. It may be that was the way the development was originally planned and now it has evolved to produce direct financial backing for the hotel's future.

Once again this week Bermuda Properties blundered and gave the public the impression that they were threatening the Country by saying that if they did not get Private Member's Bill permission to change their act, which they have to do to develop despite planning permission, they would lay off Castle Harbour Hotel staff and close the hotel. Heaven only knows what Marriott hotels thought of that.

Be that as it may, the Castle Harbour Hotel is important to the future of Bermuda. Not very many people would be happy with the closure of yet another large visitor property. The Castle Harbour itself is old and rather dowdy but it does have a wonderful setting and beautiful surroundings. There can be no doubt that it needs a great deal of renovation to bring it up to first class standing, but that can be done.

Because Bermuda Properties has created such great public suspicion, we think Government should be very sure that the Ship's Hill development will mean a renovated and first class hotel run by top management. It must give the public that assurance.

If that can be guaranteed and the safeguards placed on the development of Ship's Hill can be guaranteed, then we think the project should proceed. We have opposed it before but the Castle Harbour Hotel is vital to Bermuda's tourism future and to Bermuda's hotel workers and we think that outweighs our reservations.