Rumours that the new fast ferries will be serving alcohol during their voyages around the Island have caused Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown to step in and set the record straight.

It is understood that MEF Ltd. has won the rights to have concession stands on the new ferries and are considering serving beer and wine on trips - an idea that has caused concern among some residents.

MEF, the parent company of Little Venice Group, has been advertising this week for employees to work concession stands for the new fast ferries.

No stranger to the service, The Little Venice Group has locked down the airport concession area and owns a chain of multi-cultural restaurants across the Island.

It is understood that MEF beat out at least five other bidders to provide the service to the ferries.

Dr. Brown, who assured that no Bermudian businesses had been slighted in the process said: "They (MEF) were not paid to provide this service and they don't pay us."

Instead, he said the company will provide its own needs to run the concession.

"They are self contained operators," he said.

And, before this latest, controversy moved any further, Dr. Brown told The Royal Gazette yesterday that there was nothing written in stone about the proposed idea of selling liquor on the ferries.

"I have not read any official notification," he said. "But if it's an option, we would consider it. I would hope that it's not hard liquor, just beer or wine."

However, he added that "logically" the efficiency and speed of the ferries would not allow for heavy alcohol consumption.

And he said the furore surrounding the idea, detracts from the more important issue, which is seeing the two new ferries - worth $5 million - up and running smoothly.

"The concession is a small piece of the broad picture," he said. "The ride on the ferries for most people will be less than 25 minutes. We are focused on getting these $2.5 million dollar boats moving - tentatively by the week of March 18."