expensive and treats you this way?'' That is a quote from a Canadian visitor inconvenienced by the strike on Wednesday.

We think the quote is representative of the reaction of many visitors who have had their expensive vacations, for which they have saved, disrupted without warning and through no fault of their own.

This is not to discuss the merits of the strike itself but it is to suggest that Bermudians ought to be able to agree to avoid disruptive action which impacts directly on tourism. The truth is that tourism feeds us all and that lost tourism is a blow to the entire community but first to hotel workers and secondly on other unionised workers. Right now hotel owners are very nervous.

Most are not Bermudian and are wondering why they should carry on losing money when Bermudians do not protect their own. The retail sector as we know it is just about with us and it was hoping for a good visitor year to stay afloat.

Retail is a major employer of Bermudians.

Surely, in these difficult times it is not sensible to "bite the hand that feeds us''.

Many countries have learned the lesson that strikes in a service economy are self-defeating. Grievances are inevitable and all too often they are justified but they should be settled by negotiations which do not disrupt the economy.

Yes, negotiating is time consuming and less dramatic than a strike but talk does not take money directly out of the pockets of the people.

A service economy is a very delicate balance between demand and price. Bermuda has come to recognise over the last few years that price has already placed tourism in a difficult position. It is not easy to sell a Bermuda vacation at the prices we have to charge.

People who pay the price expect that their vacation will be worth the price and when that vacation is disrupted in any way they are unhappy and even angry. They will not be back. Their friends will not take a chance on uncertain Bermuda. Their travel agent will send people here only if they insist. As the Canadian visitor has said: "It's not fair to hit the tourists.'' A successful service industry requires that Bermuda stay open and keep providing the services. That does not mean that there is no room for disagreement. It does not mean that there is no room to address grievances and it certainly does not mean that grievances should be ignored.

What it means is that we should solve our problems among ourselves and not allow disputes to drive visitors away. Tourism is already weakened by high prices fuelled by the cost of high living in Bermuda. If we want that high living, then we have to protect it.