risky oil-burning experiment in Bermuda waters.

The dangers of the experiment going wrong far outweighed any international exposure for the Island and hands-on training for Bermudians, Shadow Environment Minister Mr. Trevor Woolridge said.

"Government ought to have outright rejected it,'' he said.

He did not believe the Environment Ministry had properly thought through the proposal.

And he did not see how it could have the support of the Tourism Ministry. The experiment calls for up to 10,000 gallons of crude oil to be gradually dumped and then ignited in waters 20 miles off Bermuda.

It has already been successfully conducted in chilly waters off Newfoundland.

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) wanted to see how it worked in warm waters.

But Mr. Woolridge wanted to know why NOAA and other science agencies involved had not first approached other warm places where tourism played a major role like Florida.

He went as far as to accuse Environment Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons, who now sits in the Senate, of travelling down "the same road which caused him to lose the Education portfolio''.

"I can't believe for one moment that the Minister of Tourism would support such an experiment that would put our Island at risk,'' he said.

The Island could still benefit by the experiment's findings if it was conducted elsewhere, he said.

And, although at some expense, Bermudians who would be involved in an oil-spill clean-up could be sent away to view the experiment.

"The Environment Minister certainly appears not to have had the greater interest of the community at heart if he can be persuaded by his technical staff to allow permission to be given to the experiment,'' Mr. Woolridge said.

He added: "Because of the risks involved, surely the matter ought to have been brought before Parliament for discussion so all elected members can have the opportunity for input and represent their constituents' feelings.'' Instead, "a non-elected member of Parliament serving as a Minister'' was giving the go-ahead to NOAA to plan the experiment off Bermuda.

Mr. Woolridge said he would take the Environment Ministry up on its offer in the House of Assembly yesterday to attend a presentation on the experiment next Thursday.

Government has said the proposal is a "unique training opportunity in a new oil spill countermeasure''.

Other pros were the establishment of important governmental and institutional contacts; It would add to Bermuda's scientific excellence; And international publicity.

Sen. Simons has stressed the experiment does not have Government's final approval.

In announcing NOAA's request in the House yesterday, Works Minister the Hon.

Clarence Terceira said: "Members will appreciate that Bermuda is particularly vulnerable to both economic and environmental damage from major oil spills that would result, for example from the grounding of a ship on our reef. We have few options for dealing with such catastrophe and the cost of cleaning up our shorelines would be astronomical.

"The proposed experiment offers a new and promising technique for inexpensive and effective dealing with large oil spills.

"Government has, therefore, authorised the Marine Pollution Contingency Committee of Bermuda to enter into discussions with NOAA and the US Coast Guard to determine the actual details of the experiment and the controls that would be put in place to protect Bermuda.'' The experiment involved "in-situ burning'', which was the combustion of an oil spill on water, he noted.

Final approval depended on the NOAA agreeing to abide by a rigid set of rules for conducting the experiment, which are to be determined by the MPCC.