trouble than they are worth. As we see it, that is exactly what is happening in the dealings the Department of Tourism and the Attorney General's Chambers are having with the Afro American Global Trade and Tourism Council over the World Conference of Mayors. Bermuda has been the subject of accusations for months now and enough is enough.

Never can any event in Bermuda have been so much trouble. Bermuda is being sued and the Solicitor General has been accused of "deception and bad faith'' and, more recently, of racism. The Solicitor General has been quoted as saying: "I have been branded virtually a racist and I have no comeback.'' That, of course, is true. Unspecified accusations of racism are impossible to contradict.

We feel sorry for both the Director of Tourism, Gary Phillips, and the Solicitor General, William Pearce, who have had to try to deal with what is clearly an impossible situation. They are civil servants and not politicians.

It is clear that the Ministry of Tourism has done all it can to support an event which it saw as highly beneficial to Bermuda. We were quite surprised to learn that the Ministry of Tourism had paid the African American Global Trade and Tourism Council a $15,000 "finder's fee'' for this conference. If that is not an indication that the Ministry wanted the conference in Bermuda, we do not know what is.

The Ministry does have a duty to Government and to the people to see that taxpayer's money is spent sensibly and productively. It would be wrong for the Ministry to simply throw a large sum at the promoters and hope for the best.

That being the case, both the Director of Tourism and the Solicitor General are acting properly and in Bermuda's best interests in holding on to Bermuda's money until they are certain how it is going to be used. Bermuda is a well run Country. It does business in a straightforward manner. It must not be any other way.

In the meantime, none of this is much comfort to the World Conference of Mayors, even though they must bear some responsibility for the things said, done or not done on their behalf by the African American Global Trade and Tourism Council, who are acting as their agents.

It is also not much comfort to those businesses, large and small, in Bermuda who are planning to service this huge conference and that ranges from hotels to entertainers to shops and transportation.

We think it is time for the Ministry to meet with officials of the World Conference of Mayors. They should tell them that Bermuda wants this conference and is ready and willing to help but that Bermuda must now deal directly with conference officials. Failing that solution, the conference is on its own to come to Bermuda or not as it sees fit.