THE tourist attraction potential of the dock at St. Catherine's Beach in St. George's is being wasted because the structure has been allowed to go to ruin by the Ministry of Works & Engineering.

That is the view of Christopher West, who operates the Beach It concession at the St. George's beauty spot.

Mr. West, who has worked at the site for the last five years, said he had repeatedly asked the Ministry to do something about the dilapidated dock but his efforts had been fruitless. Opposition Senate Leader Kim Swan has also voiced concerns about the state of the dock and the boardwalk at the site, saying that a historic piece of shoreline had been blighted by the Government's long-standing neglect.

Mr. West said: "Tourists will look around there and I'll advise them not to walk on the dock, because it's dangerous. It's such a shame, because it's a beautiful spot.

"It comes under the Ministry of Works & Engineering and I suggested to them about four years that it would be good to have it fixed up.

"I said it in a face-to-face meeting, but they said they were not concerned with it. I have asked again since. If someone gets hurt, then I'd have to administer first aid."

We e-mailed an invitation to comment to Works & Engineering Minister David Burch yesterday afternoon, but he did not respond.

Sen. Swan said the St. Catherine's Fort area was "one of the great sights of Bermuda" and that the Works & Engineering Ministry had failed to live up to its responsibility as landlord.

"It's strange that the Government is able to find money for so many initiatives and yet it can't find money for making these important repairs," Sen. Swan said.

"This is a spot that tourists flock to and it creates a bad impression of the island to see the dock and the boardwalk in such a poor state.

"We're supposed to be selling romance, but it would be difficult for a couple to take a midnight stroll and gaze into each other's eyes when they're worried about putting their foot in a hole in the boardwalk. Proprietors in the area are applying a fresh coat of paint and sprucing up their properties, ready for the high season. And then they see how the Government is neglecting the foreshore. It impacts on business people in the area."

Sen. Swan said the repairs could easily have been incorporated into the Ministry's maintenance schedule over the past couple of years and he urged Government to rectify the situation.

"May is Heritage Month and this is where Bermuda was discovered, so let the Government discover some money to protect this part of our heritage," Sen. Swan said.

"The dock's foundation is probably secure, but it needs a lot of work. This is a beautiful area. Let's show tourists we care."