Police will be tightening security through two pieces of legislation tabled at the House of Assembly.

Under the Telecommunications Amendment Act, all telephone companies must install equipment allowing Police to wiretap their lines to help catch criminals.

According to the bill, tabled by Telecommunications Minister Michael Scott, all carriers providing public telecommunications services will be required to give Police a database of customer names, addresses and phone numbers.

They must also buy apparatus so Police can intercept wire and electronic communications and access call-identifying information.

It states this information must be collected "unobtrusively and with a minimum of interference".

The Minister would have the power to exempt certain carriers from this law; but those which flout it face penalties of up to $10,000 for each day they breach it.

According to the legislation, similar requirements are in place in the United States under the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, and are in the pipeline in Canada.

Meanwhile the Marine Board Amendment Act, and associated Maritime Security (Harbour Areas) (Restricted Zones) Order, outline a series of harbour areas people will not be allowed to enter while a cruise ship is docked.

It's thought this legislation, tabled by Premier and Transport Minister Ewart Brown, will make it more difficult for drugs or other illegal packages to be collected from ships.

Restrictions will apply in sections of ship terminals at Ordnance Island and Penno's Wharf in St. George's and No. 1 and No. 5/6 terminals in Hamilton.

One other piece of legislation, tabled by Culture Minister Neletha Butterfield, is the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality (Transfer of Functions) Act.

This will see the responsibilities of CURE transferred to the Human Rights Commission.