of the Hotel Employers of Bermuda to sign the new labour contract with the Bermuda Industrial Union.

So far, Sonesta Beach Hotel, the two Princess properties, Marriott Castle Harbour Resort and Trusthouse Forte's Belmont Hotel and Harmony Club have agreed to sign the agreement handed down by hotels board of inquiry chairman Prof. Ronald Haughton last month.

Together the properties represent 68 percent of the hotel rooms in the 20-member HEB.

The Elbow Beach Hotel, which broke from the HEB last week, remains the only large property that has not been willing to sign the agreement.

Mrs. Browne Evans said while she was happy that most of the HEB were willing to sign the agreement, she would feel "more satisfied once the other members of HEB also signal their readiness to sign''.

"The PLP applauds the sentiments expressed by the hoteliers at the large properties,'' she said in a prepared statement.

"They in explaining their decision to sign the deal stated this was based on recognition of the union as a fact of life in Bermuda's hotel business. They were right. We cannot pretend that the BIU does not exist.'' Mrs. Browne Evans said: "This year is to be a crucial year for Bermuda.

The Progressive Labour Party is eager to see all members of the community acting in tandem to lay the foundations for recovery.

"An integral part of that is fostering better labour relations. Side-stepping the challenges is just not good enough.'' She stressed that all parties must pull together.

"As a community, we must be in a position to avail ourselves of opportunities, so we can improve our economic position,'' she said.

"Trite sayings that do little more than pay lip-service to the ideal of cooperation between labour and management do not add up to much.

"If there is a sincere desire to improve labour relations then let us not waste the present opportunity and let all the hoteliers sign a workers' contract with the BIU.'' The impact of drugs, crime, and violence on the Warwick community will be discussed at a public forum tonight at Purvis Primary School.

The 7.30 p.m. forum, organised by the Progressive Labour Party's Warwick West Campaign Committee, will feature four panelists -- Warwick West PLP candidates Mr. George Scott and Dr. Ewart Brown, Mr. Michael Lewis, and CID acting Supt.

Victor Richmond.