itself will be worse off, a Front Street merchant said.

Mr. Sayeed Ramadan, owner of the Personalized Jewellry store on Front Street issued this challenge in an interview with The Royal Gazette yesterday.

His statement comes after several Court Street business owners spoke out about the need for increased Police patrols and better protection days after a two teenaged men were shot at the Spinning Wheel night club.

While echoing similar opinions, Mr. Ramadan said the recent shootings only served to impress on everyone the importance of ensuring that the businesses in the area survived.

"I share the frustration they have expressed,'' Mr. Ramadan said. "My jewellry business was born there in 1968.

"We all need to be concerned about the lack of policing there. They do not seem to patrol traffic. You can always find people double parked and Police do not seem to cite them for that.'' However, Mr. Ramadan said that while Police did have a role to play, the responsibility to ensure that Court Street businesses thrived belonged to each Bermudian.

Moreover he said, Court Street was an important incubator for black businesses many of which went on and expanded into other parts of the Island.

As an example, Mr. Ramadan pointed to True Reflections which has opened a second store at the corner of Reid and Parliament Streets.

It had its genesis on Court Street.

Similarly, Mr. Ramadan, whose original name was Woodrow Wilson before he changed it in 1980, said his own jewellry business -- The Bermuda Jewellry Centre which he sold in 1975-- began on Court Street and has expanded to other areas before he arrived at his present Front Street location seven years ago.

"I never intended to end up here (Front Street),'' he said. "Circumstances landed me here. That block (Court Street) is very important for blacks who are low on finances. It's a learning tree.

"But the lack of traffic control and Police protection discourages customers which means that these fledgling businesses are hurt even more.'' "If Hamilton is the heart of Bermudian commerce,'' he continued. "Then surely Court Street is an artery which needs to be kept open and free from blockages or else the Island will suffer from a massive heart attack.'' WOMAN SAVED FROM DROWNING AC Woman saved from drowning A strong swimmer who was saved from a near-drowning at Horseshoe Bay beach yesterday is calling for a medal for the man who saved her.

And Mr. Raymond Todd, who pulled Miss Wander Hodgson of Warwick back to shore, is warning swimmers today to beware of a strong "rip tide'', or undertow.

"I don't know what happened,'' Miss Hodgson told The Royal Gazette . "I was near the shore when all of a sudden something took me.

"I was out in the deep and I couldn't catch my breath. It was more than terrifying. I thought I was gone.'' Miss Hodgson, 47, added that she was "a very strong swimmer'', who walks and swims at Horseshoe almost every day.

Mr. Todd said the unusual tide was likely related to the hurricane that passed well to the east of the Island yesterday. He warned swimmers that a similar "rip tide'' could exist today.

Mr. Todd, who also swims at Horseshoe each morning, said Miss Hodgson was swept out a few hundred yards to a large rock at about 8 a.m.

He credited Mr. Willis Dill and Mr. David Wilkinson with helping him to reach the woman and pull her to shore.

"I just feel he should get a medal,'' Miss Hodgson said of Mr. Todd.