been blasted by the National Liberal Party's leader.

Mr. Gilbert Darrell MP said street lighting would not be a deterrent to attacks like the one that happened on South Shore Road last week.

Last week two American tourists were knocked off their bike and beaten by two stick-wielding youths.

Mr. Gary and Mrs. Celia Bradshaw were returning to Marriott's Castle Harbour Resort when they were assaulted on South Shore Road between Pink Beach and Paynter's Road, which has no street lighting.

Residents are now calling for lights but Mr. Darrell said that in the past they had resisted them.

He said: "Road lighting has not proven to be a deterrent to attacks on persons up to now, therefore the beastly attack on Paynters Road would not have been avoided.

"However road lighting does contribute to safer traffic after dark. "What is amazing is the residents of this area have been quite content to risk safety to themselves in the cause of exclusivity all of these years and tend to treat it as their private road.

"What should be more amazing is that Ministers of Works over the years have supported this ridiculous stance and attempted to make anyone who asked that this matter be addressed feel as if he was a political radical.'' Mr. Darrell said the NLP agreed the road should be lighted, but questioned the Minister's haste after residents had refused lights for years.

"We see no reason for the public display by the Minister,'' he said.