user friendly facilities for deaf people.

The news came last night from Tourism Minister David Allen who this week welcomed delegates to the First International Conference on Deafness at the Marriott Castle Harbour Resort.

"I was very impressed with the facilities at the Marriott for the deaf and as a tourist resort I believe that we need to do more to reach out to this part of our market,'' he said.

Marriott was selected by the conference organisers because of its facilities which they felt were more "deaf friendly''.

The hotel has a telephone system called Teletypewriter (TTY), which is also known as a Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD), door bell flashers, fire alarms with flashers and special alarm clocks.

It also has televisions with built-in Closed Captioning making it a role model for other hotels and guest houses according to the delegates.

Mr. Allen said: "These are our markets, too, and our challenge is to work to encourage this aspect of our market while at the same time illustrating our diversity and inclusiveness.'' CEREMONY MARKS ARRIVAL OF STONE PAR Ceremony marks arrival of stone A stone all the way from the England home of Sir George Somers will take its place in Bermuda tomorrow.

The flagstone from his 16th century home Berne Manor, Dorset, will be unveiled at the entranceway of the Town Hall, King's Square, St. George's at 11 a.m.

A ceremony will take place and will be attended by the Mayor of St. George's Lois Perinchief and the former Town Crier of Lyme Regis Richard Fox.

Lyme Regis -- the birthplace of Sir George Somers -- was twinned with St.

George's two years ago.