BERMUDA has a way to go if it ever aims to market itself as a holiday destination for the physically handicapped, one of America's leading newspapers has advised travellers.

last month cautioned two women interested in sending their parents on a vacation to the island. Because their mother depends on crutches or a cane for mobility, the women had written to the travel section of the daily, asking for advice.

"Bermuda is not the best destination for the disabled," the responded. "Because the country doesn't have a version of the Americans With Disabilities Act, restaurants, transportation services, stores, hotels, etc., are not required by law to accommodate those with mobility issues.

"Walking with a cane is problematic in many areas because there are few sidewalks outside the main cities of Hamilton and St. George's. And the island is generally hilly."

Positive light was shed on the situation by Keith Forbes of the Bermuda Physically Handicapped Association. He suggested that the women's parents rely on ferries as a means of transport instead of buses because "new ferries serving Hamilton, Dockyard and St. George's now have ground-level access for the disabled".

Mr. Forbes also recommended the women consider having their parents stay at the "close-to-Hamilton, close-to-ferries" Waterloo House in Hamilton.

The article continues, advising the women that our Department of Tourism publishes a free booklet, .

And Mary Ramsay, a Department spokesperson, was quoted as saying a number of properties on the island "offer full service and dining facilities, have large elevators, wide doorways, accessible bathrooms, public rooms with a minimum of steps and reasonably accessible recreation areas".

When contacted for his opinion on how the island caters to disabled visitors, president of the Bermuda Physically Handicapped Association Willard Fox agreed with article in principle, but described the situation as far less dire.

"They're right in the sense of total accessibility," he said. "A few things are accessible. The City of Hamilton is accessible now. A few restaurants. Most of the shops are accessible now. If she has a walking disability I can't see (Bermuda) as being totally accessible to her.

"This is what people don't understand. Most people place an emphasis on wheelchair users. Whenever I get questions from a disabled person who is visiting, I ask about their level of mobility. I ask about their disability, their age, their interests. I ask if they have accessible accommodations and I suggest that they call the manager of the hotel in advance (to determine just how accessible the accommodations are).

"Bermuda is not totally accessible. I'd say we're about 55 per cent accessible. Elbow Beach has gone the extra mile. The hotel is totally accessible and it has a couple of accessible rooms. The Hamilton Princess has a room which is not totally accessible but is accessible."

He said improvements could be made to less accessible rooms through fittings, such as commodes, which are available from the Red Cross.

"One of the major problems we face is that people don't think about our problems because they're not handicapped," he said. "If they were temporarily disabled ? if they fractured their leg, if they had arthritis, if they struck their toe and couldn't walk ? then they'd see the changes they'd have to make to their lives; they'd recognise the problems we have to go through."

On average, Mr. Fox said between 25 and 30 visitors with physical disabilities arrived on the island by plane and cruise ship each week. And he stressed that if more was done to improve the quality of life for physically handicapped residents, the benefit would be felt by visitors to the island as well.

"We now have accessible ferries but management has got to educate the staff. They're not very helpful. They're not as courteous as they were when it was more difficult to get on the boats. Our buses should be accessible. When you get on a handicapped bus in America, everything's automatic.

"One of the concerns expressed by one of the union members was that it would take too much time to wait for (the wheelchair-bound) person to get on the bus and lock them in place. Another argument was that they might be responsible if the person were to get hurt.

"The answer's no. A friend of mine got on a bus ? she has a walking disability ? and the driver pulled off before she sat down. She struck her head. In America, you wouldn't do that. Your company would lose $60 million and you'd be fired because you'd cost the company $60 million.

"Down here, they don't care because the law doesn't cover that. You can't sue. But it's so easy. All they have to do is look in their rear-view mirror and wait for the person to sit down."

Wheelchair-bound and an advocate of the island's physically challenged for more than 30 years, Mr. Fox said that there was good news, that some great strides had been made.

"Right now, the Bermuda disabled population has three problems and they've existed for the last 40 years ? transportation, accommodations, and job opportunities which incorporates education. I've been trying for the last 25, 30 years to make changes. The late Margaret Carter and myself have been trying but, as I said, making other people understand is difficult. Convincing the politicians is a different story. It's like pulling teeth.

"But I want to especially thank the Corporation of Hamilton. The last five Mayors and (former Corporation Secretary) Roger Sherratt worked with the Association for years trying to make things accessible. I was in town the other day and I noticed a special parking bay for the disabled opposite the public bathrooms. I want to thank them for that very much."

What people fail to understand, he said, was that adjustments which benefited the handicapped might also be utilised by the general public ? ramps added to the General Post Office in Hamilton and the BTC offices opposite the Shopping Centre supermarket, were frequently utilised by more mobile members of the public.

He added that he had noted automatic doors to be just as popular, saying he was pleased to see that Take Five, a restaurant in the Washington Mall, had recently installed one.

"Ninety-five per cent of the people walking in push the button rather than use the handle to open the door," he said. "Bit by bit. Rung by rung. They do see the benefit of change being done. They accept that it benefits all. Not only the physically handicapped but older people, mothers with baby carriages."

Mr. Fox also had a few choice words for .

"I've been to Atlanta three times. I'm a wheelchair user. I would never recommend Atlanta to anyone. Accessible taxis don't exist in Atlanta. By law, it's supposed to be accessible. There are a lot of other parts of America that aren't. The needs to check their backyard before they criticise someone else's."