Tourism Minister Patrice Minors has now jumped onboard the bus debate vowing to address concerns and come up with solutions.Ms Minors wants to meet with representatives from the Transport Ministry as “more than any other time in our history” she believes they must work together to ensure the success of the tourism industry.The Minister said she was aware of the “ongoing challenges and concerns” over bus schedules and she wanted to avoid any further inconvenience to residents and tourists.This comes after a week-long debate over a new initiative to stop cruise ship passengers getting on buses at Dockyard to free-up seats for locals.The Royal Gazette first reported on Tuesday that Transport Minister Terry Lister was taking action as residents had complained buses heading to Hamilton drove straight past them.He revealed a dispatcher would be “controlling tourist numbers” by telling some of them to get on the next bus.USA Today and the Cruise Critic website then picked up on our story and threw it into the international limelight. This prompted an angry backlash from tourists threatening to stop visiting the Island and take their money elsewhere.Opposition politicians then urged the Government to “save our reputation” and “sort out the PR mess we are in”. Ms Minors spoke out for the first time yesterday through a short statement released to the media no specific details about proposed solutions were given.She said: “One of the great things that Bermuda prides itself on as a destination is its reliable and efficient public transportation system.“Our buses and ferries are heavily relied on by our residents and visitors alike and it’s regrettable when these services are hindered from operating effectively. I think it is critical to understand that we have made some significant strides in recent months and have seen some positive signs with regard to tourism. Simply put, our tourism industry is vital to Bermuda’s economy. And now, more than any other time on our history, we must all collectively come together to ensure its success.”Ms Minors went on to say that she had requested a meeting with representatives from the Transport Ministry to discuss concerns “particularly as it relates to our bus system”.At this meeting she said she hoped to “resolve the current transportation issues”.The Tourism Minister said: “It is our hope that some common ground solutions can be reached as swiftly as possible to minimise any further inconvenience for our residents and visitors.”When questioned further on the Island’s reputation overseas, Ms Minors said she was “quite aware of the attention that this matter had generated both locally and internationally”.She told The Royal Gazette: “The Ministry was of the view that some form of assurance be given to both residents and visitors to allay their concerns. Despite the coverage, it is a widely held view that Bermuda is still viewed as a premier vacation and well respected business destination.”In the meantime scores of residents and tourists continue to comment on this issue on this newspaper’s website and Facebook page. Many people have even “done Government’s job for them” and come up with their own solutions to the problem of tourists and locals vying for the same buses.Suggestions include separate buses for tourists and locals, more shuttle buses from Dockyard to Horseshoe Bay and more ferries from Dockyard to Hamilton especially from 8am to 10am when cruise ships usually dock.Others suggested putting the lifeboats from cruise ships to good use and bringing in retired residents to drive additional buses during the cruise ship season.One person suggested that enterprising taxi drivers should head to Dockyard as “an express trip to the beach is worth a little more than a bus stopping every half mile”.Douglas Campbell of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has been visiting Bermuda every year for 35 years. He estimates that only a handful of tourists will actually be turned away from buses, but he warned: “Everyone is going to hear about it.”He said: “Tourists are going to get the impression that they are no longer a high priority for Bermuda. Whether this is true or not, people are going to vote with their wallets and they are not going to book vacations to a place where they think they are not wanted.“Dockyard doesn’t have the infrastructure to handle thousands of tourists being dumped on it in a single day...and citizens have to get to work. My suggestion is to allow private operators to buy and operate buses. They can capitalise on this need the same way some other islands do by making buses that cater to the tourists’ idea of vacation transportation.”Mr Campbell suggested these ‘tourist buses’ could be painted in bright colours, play reggae music and have a driver who points out sights en route.Mr Lister did not respond to requests for comment yesterday.To become ‘friends’ with The Royal Gazette on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/royalgazette.bm.