Bermudians are divided over the Ministry of Transport?s decision to issue foreign owned tall ship, the, a commercial tour boat licence for the month of May.took to the streets of Hamilton to ask people, young and old, the question: ?Should the be allowed compete with local tour boats?? Of the 11 people questioned, six felt that it was unfair to allow compete with local companies.

The Tour Boat Owners Association contacted last week to complain about what they perceived to be unfair practices by the Government.

While the organisation was at pains to say they had nothing against the or the service it was providing the country, they did have issues with the preferential treatment the tall ship received. has been allowed to offer daily charters around Bermuda waters.

Its operators are exempt from meeting duty and immigration obligations that local companies must comply with and they are being subsidised $1,000 a day by the Government. The Government has also provided the ship with a tug boat, hotel rooms and free advertising.

Linda Suarez, who works at the Bank of Bermuda, felt should not be allowed compete with the local companies. ?First of all that ship has only arrived recently and the local companies have been serving tourists for quite a while,? she said. ?I was at Albuoy?s Point the other day and saw that the local boats were empty, I thought it was quite sad.?

Cheryl Norford, who works for the Bank of Butterfield, also disagreed with the Government?s decision to waive fees and subsidise the ship. ?They say this is our country all the time, but then allow to run which means Bermudians are being robbed of a job,? she said.

Janet Brangman, a KPMG senior administrator, felt the tall ship should receive the same treatment as local boats while writer Ross Eldridge felt no foreign-owned vessel should be allowed work in Bermuda waters.

Trust manager Debbie Billings didn?t think it was a big deal because the tall ship is only on the Island for a short time, while construction worker George James felt the ship should be allowed to educate locals and tourists.

?They should be able to make some money and it allows people a chance to learn a bit of history and to appreciate that the chose to visit Bermuda,? Mr. James said.

Some people were fine with the fact that the ship competed with local tour boats but felt the money should stay on the Island.

Raquel Knight, an assistant buyer at Trimingham?s and Smith?s, said: ?If the funds don?t benefit an organisation here then, no. It would be different if the money went to local charities.? One man was empathic towards the plight of local tour boats but felt they could learn from the tall ship.

Terence Gift, who works for the Bank of Bermuda, said: ?I can sympathise with the local tour boat companies because you?re talking about their livelihood but, if the is offering a better service the locals should learn from what they are doing and incorporate it into the services they currently offer.?

While Oric Curtis, an IBC delivery man, felt that providing tourists with more options is always a good idea.