Former United Bermuda Party MP Henry Hayward is urging his party to stop playing politics and support the bill to allow gambling on cruise ships.

Mr. Hayward, head of cruise ship agent Meyer Travel, said Bermuda could not afford to spurn valuable visitor revenue in a recession.

Speculation is mounting that Premier Dr. Ewart Brown could soon be ready to put the bill allowing gaming on cruise ships while in port, to a House vote, perhaps as early as tomorrow.

But Mr. Hayward fears rebel Progressive Labour Party MPs out to oust Dr. Brown will again line up with UBP MPs to defeat it.

UBP sources confirm their MPs are likely to vote against the bill in a free vote.

Independent MP Wayne Furbert is also against the bill with up to six Government MPs also in that camp.

But if anti-gaming MPs are away from the House, the Premier might take a chance and put it to a vote after suspending the bill in March when the numbers were against him.

Mr. Hayward told The Royal Gazette: "People are taking more interest in the politics than what's good for the country. Right now we need every dollar."

While conceding most cruise tourists weren't big spenders, the former St. George's Mayor echoed comments by Progressive Labour Party chairman David Burt who said cruise line Holland America were pumping in more than $8 million with visits next year. But 2011 was in doubt with gambling not yet legal.

Today Mr. Hayward will meet members of the UBP caucus to urge a re-think as he claimed that the days of cruise ship lines clamouring to come to Bermuda were gone.

Older, slower ships found the Bermuda voyage ideal for a seven-day turn around said Mr. Hayward, but now quicker ships could get to the Caribbean and so could be more choosy about destinations.

Opponents to the bill have ranged from those who are against gambling on principle to those who say it's unfair to allow it onboard ships while not allowing onshore establishments to profit from gaming.

And others have said gaming, which would run from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., would encourage passengers to spend their money onboard, not onshore.

While against gambling on a personal level, Mr. Hayward claimed a survey had shown only around 30 percent of cruise passengers actually used the onboard casinos.

Mr. Hayward said: "I just came back from a cruise. Every night you would see the same people there but a lot of people don't go into the casinos at all."

And Mr. Hayward said Bermuda could always reverse any relaxation of the gambling laws when new hotels came online and boosted tourism revenue.

l See Opinion by Sen. Michael Dunkley on page 4