visitors, the leader of the National Liberal Party claimed on Friday.

Mr. Gilbert Darrell asked why six part-time immigration officers were being added to the Civil Air Terminal. While visitor figures this year are up over last year, they are still well below the figures of a few years ago, he said.

He recited Customs and Immigration and visitors figures back to 1983, suggesting the number of jobs swelled while the number of visitors declined.

"There's something not quite right there,'' he said.

But Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan said the NLP leader only had "half the story''.

Bermuda is unique and fortunate in that it is served by air from 13 gateway cities in North America, Sir John said during the Motion to Adjourn. Because of the importance of making connections at these important hubs, the planes "basically all arrive in Bermuda at the same time,'' he said.

"We don't set that schedule,'' he said. "We're just grateful that we're able to get such a broad catchment.

"No other Island that I know of has so many flights coming from so many points in North America.'' The planes are larger and carry more people and the time window in which they arrive is getting smaller, Sir John said.

"We have no control...except to accommodate it. In order to accommodate it, we need people.'' Mr. Darrell also expressed concern about price rises in real estate insurance.

Bermuda insurers are being told to hike their rates because of losses suffered in Florida and the Caribbean, he said. But buildings here are "a lot more substantial'' than in those places, and "we certainly don't want our rates related to the damage there'', he said adding that Government should look into the matter.

Sir John said no country knows insurance better than Bermuda, and it would be foolish to think the Island could create its own insurance pool.

Government is addressing the issue through planning, by warning affected property owners of the risk of ocean surge and encouraging people to take responsibility for themselves and how they build, he said.

Also during the Motion to Adjourn, Shadow Tourism Minister Mr. David Allen said he was surprised by a recent comment by Mr. Mansfield (Jim) Brock, who chairs the Premier's Commission on Competitiveness.

"I thought (Mr. Brock) really came very close to misleading the community'' when he said the Department of Tourism has no impact on the quality of Bermuda's tourism product, Mr. Allen said.

The Department inspects and licences hotels and other guest accommodations, and Mr. Brock's statement "is quite frankly nonsense'', he said.

Also in the House of Assembly on Friday, The Bermuda International Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1993 received third reading and was passed.

Delegated Affairs Minister the Hon. Sir John Sharpe has said the new law is the missing ingredient in helping to make Bermuda a world centre for resolving international business problems.