A mystery cruise line is set to register a mini-fleet in Bermuda, it was revealed yesterday.

And Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox told the House of Assembly that cruise ships flying Bermuda's Red Ensign would be floating advertisements for the Island wherever they steamed.

And she said more ships flying the flag of Bermuda would mean a boost for local banks and law firms.

Ms Cox told MPs: "This Government has been successful in encouraging this leading cruise ship owner to register their ships in Bermuda.'' But she said she could not name the line for reasons of commercial confidentiality -- although it could be the P & O's Princess arm.

Ms Cox added: "Having Hamilton marked on the stern of these ships and the British Red Ensign flying from them will enhance the corporate image of this Country.'' She was speaking as she introduced a new law to allow masters of Bermuda-registered ships to perform civil marriage ceremonies on board their vessels.

Ms Cox said: "It's anticipated that this bill, which provides for the conducting of marriage ceremonies on these ships will provide a positive connection to Bermuda for these people who are married on these ships.'' She added the push for ship's captains to perform wedding ceremonies had come from the mystery line and that it would be the first to take advantage of a change in the law.

But she stressed the law applied to all vessels on the Bermuda Registry, not just the mystery operator whose vessels are currently registered in Liberia.

Ms Cox said: "In the first instance, it will be offered by these seven ships.'' She added that the cachet of a Bermuda wedding certificate would also provide a boost for the vessels involved.

Ms Cox said: "In addition to the bride and groom, a large number of wedding guests will travel in these ships.'' She added that one of the attractions of Bermuda Registry was the high standard demanded by Island regulators before a ship could fly the Island flag.

Ms Cox said: "There exists a very stringent inspection procedure prior to accepting any ship onto the Bermuda Registry.'' The new law was backed by Shadow Labour and Home Affairs Minister Michael Dunkley .

And he added: "It's nice to see that we can raise revenue from other areas rather than tax Bermudians, which is a welcome relief.'' Acting Tourism Minister Alex Scott agreed the Red Ensign was an international mark of quality.

He added that people getting Bermuda marriage certificates would mean an emotional attachment to the Island for couples.

Mr. Scott said: "Many folks are actively aware of the business of the bridal magazines, the whole industry around marriages.

"This will lock Bermuda into an even more important area of this market.'' And he added: "We not talking in terms of change -- we're talking in terms of large amounts of dollars which we can anticipate from this aspect of business.'' Shadow Tourism Minister David Dodwell , however, said the bill had been put forward by the Minister of Home Affairs and Public Safety -- not the Tourism Minister.

And he said Mr. Scott appeared to be confused about ships which currently come to the Island -- which are not registered in Bermuda and whose captains cannot conduct weddings.

But he added that some of the seven ships coming to the Bermuda Registry "might well ply their trade to Bermuda'' in the future.

Shadow Education Minister Tim Smith said the use of "wedlock'' and "out of wedlock'' in reference to permission being granted for youngsters to marry by parents was out-of-date.

He said: "I favour the word `union' and I would ask the Minister to amend the relevant sections in this Act and in the Marriage Act accordingly.'' Mr. Smith added that some sections of the Act gave the mother the right to consent to a wedding in the case of a non-married couple -- and not the father.

He said: "This is particularly harmful because we, as legislators, should be promoting the family union and the full participation of both parents.'' Ms Cox replied that there had been time constraints and added that the Act covering weddings from the 1940s had referred to "legitimate'' and "illegitimate''.

And she said there had to be some consistency and that now-offensive terms could not have been weeded out of old legislation because of the time constraints.

Opposition Legislative Affairs spokesman John Barritt said he was surprised that newer technology like fax and e-mail had not been written into the Act.

Ms Cox said information could be accepted by fax -- as long as it was followed up by the original documentation.

Paula Cox