are clearly threatened. There are hotel owners whose profitability is bad and who wish they were not in Bermuda. We cannot face another closure and we need to prove that we can sustain a new top hotel to lead the industry.

New Minister of Tourism David Dodwell will be working to increase Bermuda's promotion overseas, although why he would choose to do it in Italy is a total mystery. Doubtless the "new broom'' at tourism will be busy trying to get the best for Bermuda. A fresh approach is healthy and Bermuda still has enormous respect abroad and the advantage of being the best of the islands. Our main hurdle is a reputation for high prices, some of which is unjustified, and we need to demonstrate that we are not too expensive.

The second hurdle is the word of mouth in the United States which says that expensive vacations in Bermuda are often ruined by "labour trouble''.

The situation has to be corrected because all of us, every one of us, lives well because of tourism.

The profit Bermuda makes from visitors can only be maintained or increased if we can attract more visitors who spend more money. To do that, we have to make it very clear that visitors are welcome in Bermuda. We have to treat them with respect as customers of the Country.

We must welcome visitors, rather than tolerate them. One horrendous story doing the rounds tells of a nightclub waiter who refused to ask the band leader to play a visitor's anniversary request because, "It's not my job.'' The recently signed three-year hotel workers agreement which the Bermuda Industrial Union signed with the Hotel Employers of Bermuda is a big step in the right direction. It removes a large element of uncertainty from the operation of the hotels and can only benefit our visitors. It also gives hotel workers continued employment and a ten percent wage increase over the three year period of the agreement. The very nature of the agreement is settling to the industry and both the workers and the industry are to be applauded for agreeing without any fuss, especially at this time.

Bermudians need to accept that they cannot take their personal frustrations out on our visitors. We must learn to settle family problems among ourselves without punishing our visitors. Visitors are paying guests who are here to enjoy Bermuda. Most of the time they do not understand local politics or economics yet too often we inflict our frustrations in these areas on uncomprehending visitors. That is not what they want on vacation because often it is what they have come here to escape.

Imagine going on a trip to relax because you have been having a rough time in Bermuda and having an immigration officer grump at you and a taxi driver tell you how bad a time his country is giving him, all before you even get to your expensive hotel. That does happen in Bermuda and it should not happen to paying guests.