Customs during the Motion to Adjourn in the Senate.

Sen. Johnson said he made several observations as he passed through Customs after arriving at the Civil Air Terminal from Boston.

He said he witnessed a tourist being told he would have to pay more than $300 duty on a box containing 40-dozen golf balls intended for a group of visitors.

Sen. Johnson said he overheard a customs officer tell the tourist that even though the golf balls were not for sale he had to understand that maybe they would be lost and sold to a Bermudian.

"We spend thousands of dollars encouraging tourists to come here and major hotels have repeatedly stated they depend on group business to a large extent ... there should be some discretion,'' Sen. Johnson said.

He added the irony was that if the tourist had taken the golf balls out of the package and distributed them to the people in his tour group, he would not have had to pay anything.

Sen. Johnson complained there was still not a separate aisle for returning residents with nothing to declare. And he said he did not know why people with nothing to declare had to fill out a customs declaration form.

Sen. Johnson suggested there should be a floating senior customs officer to speed up matters.

He said he saw a customs officer leave his station go to an office on the side several times to ask questions.

On behalf of Information Services Minister and UBP Senator the Hon. Mike Winfield, Sen. Pam Gordon assured Sen. Johnson his suggestions would be passed on to the Minister responsible and dealt with.

Sen. Trevor Woolridge (PLP) also complained about the airport. He said the arrivals area was "pure chaos.'' He added since the new airport manager took over there had been even more problems.

He said the women assisting arriving tourists with transportation arrangements should be in the Immigration area and not the Arrivals area. He said when people had their luggage they wanted to get to their hotel quickly and were not interested in their transport options.

Senators joined Sen. Woolridge in asking that a letter of congratulations be sent to Bermuda's national soccer squad for its victory in Haiti.

Sen. Woolridge also asked congratulations be sent to the Paget Lions Club for putting on a successful night-time cricket match for charity at the National Stadium.

And he asked congratulations be sent to solo sailor Bill Pinkney who visited Bermuda at the start of his world voyage and at the end of it this month.

Senate Leader Sen. Mike Winfield wished a message for a speedy recovery be sent to Cabinet Secretary Mr. Ken Richardson, who is recovering in hospital after surgery.

And he asked congratulations be sent to the organisers of this month's Tourism Symposium at the Bermuda College. Sen. Winfield said the forum, which attracted leaders in tourism from around the world, was an "outstanding success.'' Sen. Johnson said congratulations were in order for liquor merchant Mr.

William De V. Frith who has received the French Government's highest honour for serving as its representative here for more than 30 years.

Sen. Gordon joined Mr. Woolridge in his praise of the novel night-time cricket event, and asked congratulations also be sent to the cricketers who volunteered their time.