tries to stem the rising tide of violent crime, a Government MP said.

"I think we need to look back strictly at the record and see how society has behaved when corporal punishment was used,'' Dr. David Dyer said during the Motion to Adjourn in the House on Friday night. "What we did have was a society that acted in a far more responsible manner.'' Dr. Dyer's comments contrast sharply with Government's increased emphasis on rehabilitation and counselling as it opens the new prison.

As a dentist, Dr. Dyer said he often worked on visitors who were violently attacked by Bermudians, and "the numbers increase year by year.'' Just last week, he saw two men from Virginia who were robbed at knifepoint and violently assaulted at their guest house.

He also recalled a young lady who was assaulted while visiting for a sailing regatta. A Bermudian walked into the middle of the road, pushed her off her moving cycle, and snatched her bag, Dr. Dyer said. The woman was left with serious injuries.

"When they leave, we can say what we like to them, but they have been turned off forever, and they have no intention of coming back to Bermuda,'' he said.

"These guests don't ask to come here,'' he said. "We invite them here. It is the height of disrespect to turn around and insult them.'' More Police was not the answer, and "maybe we have become too soft and too lax and we make far too many excuses,'' Dr. Dyer said. Everyone but the offender was blamed.

"If we destroy the very fabric of our economic base, we will destroy the opportunities which exist now.. .and for future generations.'' Bermudians were calling for severe corporal punishment, and laws that permitted birching and the cat-o'-nine-tails had never been removed from the books, he said. "We perhaps have gone the full circle.'' Most MPs received corporal punishment at the hands of parents or teachers, Dr.

Dyer added.

The call for more Police came from Mr. Leon (Jimmy) Williams of the Progressive Labour Party, also during the Motion to Adjourn.

"I'm disturbed by the actions by some of our citizens toward other citizens,'' Mr. Williams said. The Island's seniors were "now locking themselves into their homes at night, because they're afraid.'' A restaurant owned by his relatives was recently robbed at gunpoint, and visitors were being attacked for money at guest houses, he said.

More Police were needed, especially foot patrols, Mr. Williams said. By the time Police in St. George's were able to respond to a call in St. David's, the offenders had often already disappeared.

Bermuda had to protect its number one industry, which would always be tourism, he said.