allegations that the West End Development Corporation will be privatising its landscaping department and firing its gardeners.

The claims were made by Opposition MP Mr. David Allen .

But Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto told the House of Assembly on Friday "that honourable member got his facts totally wrong once again''.

"The men he allegedly spoke to were members of Works and Engineering's special task force assigned to (temporary) special projects. There's no plan for Wedco to privatise its landscaping,'' she said.

In fact, Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto said, Wedco has a team of local landscaping gardeners who are doing a terrific job.

Mr. Stuart Hayward (Ind) said he found it interesting that Agriculture and Fisheries "most knowledgeable and most experienced'' fisheries officers -- Mr. Craig Trott, was made redundant at the start of Government's long-line fishing experiment which has now come to a halt.

And he asked the Minister to provide "a rationale for this''.

Mr. Hayward also noted an article in the Bermuda Sun concerning accidents at the incinerator site.

And Mr. Hayward questioned the example Government was setting for private operations.

Mr. Reginald Burrows (PLP) said he was concerned about the once-a-week garbage collection, especially after public holidays.

And Mr. Burrows asked that Works and Engineering "make sure proper pick up is made'' after such holidays.

Mrs. Grace Bell (UBP) said she was concerned about the safety of young children who are allowed to stand on seats or sit in the drivers' laps while cars are in motion.

Referring to an article in the Bermuda Sun where Police warn parents that they are breaking the law by driving around with unseated or unrestrained children, Mrs. Bell said she backed the Police.

But she said: "It's find and dandy to put out these warnings, but I wonder what Police do when they view such a practice,'' she said. "Are we waiting for a tragedy?'' Mr. Allen took exception to an editorial in The Royal Gazette last week which knocked the PLP's record of serving on boards and accused the party of not knowing much about boards.

"We've had members that served on all sorts of boards,'' he said.

"To put the record straight, we have strong reservations of our members serving on boards advisory to Ministers. But we do have members serving on boards set up in the country's national interest.'' Mr. Allen said he wondered where The Royal Gazette Editor was during the Airport Authority debate.

"The editor painted with a very broad and inaccurate brush.'' The Shadow Tourism Minister also used the motion to adjourn to warn the Tourism Minister and his department against becoming complacent about visitor arrival figures.

He said only by hotel visitor arrival figures in late July and August will Bermuda be able to tell whether the industry is recovering.

During July and August Bermuda competes "eyeball to eyeball'' with European destinations, he said.

At that time of year the weather in Europe is better.

Mr. Allen said airline discounts were also working in the favour of some European and US destinations.

And he said while visitors can get much lower fares by booking airline seats weeks to months in advance, Bermuda is known for its late bookings.

"There is no room for complacency. We must be vigilant.'' Environment Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons said he found it amazing that the PLP "which had a fear of quangos'' was now supportive of the Hospitals Board.

Mr. Simons also shared Mrs. Bell's concern about children in cars.

Responding to Mr. Hayward's question about Mr. Craig Trott, Mr. Simons said Mr. Trott was made redundant mainly because his responsibility was in the Sargasso seaweed project which has wound down.

Mr. Trott's role in the long-line fishing experiment "was not as important as the earlier operation.''