Britain's wishes about the international business community to the public, a Shadow Minister has charged.

And it is not in the Island's best interests for her to be "cavorting all over the Caribbean at a conference where she cannot fully participate.'' Shadow Finance Minister Eugene Cox levelled these charges during the Motion to Adjourn in the House of Assembly on Friday night.

Mr. Cox said the PLP was disturbed at the "carefree manner'' that the Island's economy is being handled.

He said that Tourism is in crisis and there is evidence to suggest that it was stagnating for a longer period than the Government would care to admit.

Consequently, Mr. Cox pointed out that the Premier's trip to the Bahamas did not help matters because the Island needed to hear her explain the attitude of the British Parliament to the international business community.

Mr. Cox said that business leaders and the Minister of Finance needed the support of the Premier at this time.

Furthermore, he called for a full-scale debate on the problems and solutions to the crisis in the tourist industry.

Government leader in the House Quinton Edness said that Finance Minister Grant Gibbons will comment on the state of the economy in Wednesday's budget.

Moreover, he said that most people can see the state that the economy is in and that Government was doing something about it.

Mr. Edness said that it was "absolutely important'' for Government to be at the Bahamas summit because it was the place where matters relevant to the country were being debated.

And as a consequence the Premier could advance the Island's interests. To be absent he pointed out "would mean we would lose by default.'' Meanwhile, Shadow Immigration Minister Alex Scott called on Government to investigate the claims by a Bermudian student who is enrolled in a Master of Business Administration course through Queen's University.

The student claimed that his success in the course is being scuttled because the four other students he is required to work with -- who are all foreigners -- have refused to do so with the University's backing.

Some of the difficulty has arisen because the Bermudian executive's job requires him to travel.

However, Mr. Scott said that the PLP have taken up the student's cause because Bermudians must be protected.

PLP MP Dr. Ewart Brown threw his wholehearted support behind the Bermudian student and he said the issue points to a larger trend whereby foreigners who come here to work adopt an arrogance when they deal with locals.

He said that many of these guest workers become quite comfortable in this arrogance and the United Bermuda Party gave the impression that it condones this behaviour.

PLP backbencher Ottiwell Simmons also argued that the Bermudian student was being held back because of the attitude of the "foreigners''.

After noting that the PLP were not "anti-foreigners'', he argued that this situation was not a political or emotional one -- just the case of a Bermuda who was experiencing difficulty.

And he said that when a Bermudian has a problem it becomes a concern of all of Bermuda.

Mr. Simmons asked the Minister, whose portfolio it fell under, to return to the next sitting of the House with a response or a remedy to the dilemma.

UBP backbencher John Barritt said the student's dilemma had been brought to the attention of the Minister of Home Affairs and Public Safety.

"He has asked someone to intervene and try to come up with a solution between these people,'' Mr. Barritt revealed.

And he accused the Opposition of "grandstanding'' and basing their arguments on "limited facts''.

Mr. Barritt urged the PLP to investigate the matter fully and "find out all the facts''.

Tourism Minister David Dodwell echoed his colleague's comments and suggested that the results of the Queen's University's investigation should be obtained before passing judgment.

"Queen's University has not had an opportunity to speak,'' Mr. Dodwell pointed out. "Let's get an official answer back.'' Regarding Tourism, Mr. Dodwell admitted that the industry had been in decline for some 17 years.

"We as a community did not pay attention to Tourism and now we are paying for it,'' he said.

And he argued that the UBP and tourism's marketing plans were not the sole reasons for the decline.

"There are many reasons,'' he asserted.

But he insisted that the Government was in the process of re-engineering Tourism.

Despite Mr. Dodwell's comments, the Shadow Ministers for Tourism and Environment took him to task for the state of the Tourism industry.

And Leon (Jimmy) Williams suggested that Mr. Dodwell had "hoodwinked'' the people of Bermuda.

Mr. Williams' choice of words received a disapproving comment from the Speaker of the House Ernest Decouto .

But Mr. Williams maintained that Mr. Dodwell had not accomplished anything during in his three years as Tourism Minister.

And he urged the Government to do something for those that worked at the former Club Med property in St. George's.

UBP backbencher Ann Cartwright Decouto scolded the Shadow Finance Minister for his comments on the "murky water of International Finance''.

She pointed out that international business was one of the two pillars of Bermuda's economy and reminded Mr. Cox that the international world listened not only to what the Government said, but what the Opposition said as well.

Mrs. Cartwright Decouto urged Mr. Cox to "speak with care''.

And she expressed dismay at Mr. Scott and Dr. Brown's comments on the plight of the Bermudian student.

Meanwhile, Shadow Youth Development, Sport and Recreation Minister Nelson Bascome urged the Government to keep a watchful eye on the country's elderly, in particular those at the Pembroke Rest Home which was experiencing septic problems.

EUGENE COX -- Bermuda's Premier "cavorting all over Caribbean''.