The Corporation of St. George's is opposed to bigger cruise ships because it believes the town will be unable to cope with more visitors.

The Royal Gazette has revealed that a draft consultants' report to Government warns that the Island should be prepared to deal within the next 20 years with a new generation of super cruise ships measuring 900 to 950 feet and carrying up to 2,500 passengers.

The draft report contains a number of radical suggestions for Hamilton, including building a 600-foot pier out into the bay, or extending the harbour 30 feet into the water.

The Ministry of Transport has now received the final report from Miami-based consultants Bermello Ajamil and Partners.

Government has not decided on whether it is in favour of attracting super cruise ships to the Island or if the sweeping changes to the waterfront in Hamilton suggested in the report to Marine and Ports Services will be implemented.

Transport Minister Ewart Brown is off the Island until next week and could not be contacted for comment on the final report.

The Corporation of Hamilton has seen the draft report -- which also makes recommendations about how St George's and Dockyard could cope with bigger ships -- but refused to comment on details.

However, Corporation Secretary Roger Sherratt said the city administration was broadly in favour of bigger ships because it was unlikely cruise lines would build small vessels in the future just for Bermuda.

But St. George's Mayor Lois Perinchief told The Royal Gazette yesterday that the town was opposed to larger ships visiting the town.

Ms Perinchief also refused to comment on the report in detail, but said: "The best thing for the town is for the ships to stay the same size as they are.

"I can't say I'm in favour of larger ships. If these ships stay just the size they are, we can cope with them.

"We have proved over the last year that we can cope with that but I'm not in favour of them being bigger.

"We have to cater for all these people into town and make sure that if they want facilities such as taxis and toilets are available. I don't think we can cope with more (than now). We're not prepared for anything like that.'' Lois Perinchief CRUISE SHIPS SHI