An editorial in yesterday's paper incorrectly stated that Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon had accused Premier Jennifer Smith of being a "spoilt princess''. In fact, Ms Gordon said Ms Smith's retelling of her travel diary made her "sound like a social princess.'' The editorial also stated that Ms Gordon had refused to withdraw the remark when told to do so by Speaker of the House of Assembly Stanley Lowe. In fact Ms Gordn refused to apologise after Mr. Lowe ruled in favour of Health Minister Nelson Bascome after Mr. Lowe had rejected a request by Ms Gordon to have Mr. Bascome withdraw his claim that her comments were spurred by "jealousy''. Ms Gordon then questioned the "degree of justice'' the Opposition could expect -- which prompted Mr. Lowe to ask for an apology from Ms Gordon, who then walked out of the House.

The Tourism Ministry will have plenty to think about in the next few days as the national conference on tourism gets underway.

But Minister David Allen and his officials should take a little time to read some of the entries in the Bermuda International Business Association's Tourism Awareness Week essay competition.

Students were asked to write letters to Mr. Allen explaining how they would rejuvenate tourism. This of course is Mr. Allen's job, but there must be times when he feels he needs all the help he can get.

What is remarkable about the winning letters, which were published in The Royal Gazette on Wednesday and yesterday, is how the students consistently pinpoint the same problems in tourism.

These are high prices, both for airfares and on the Island, poor service and falling levels of civility, fears about crime and lack of things to do.

These are the same complaints that most visitors make -- and Mr. Allen is doubtless well aware of them.

Finding answers is harder, but the students have plenty of ideas: water parks, casinos, a Mardi Gras-like street festival on May 24 or Cup Match, training for people in the hospitality industry, evening bus and ferry services and duty free shopping areas were all suggestions.

Not all these ideas are new, and some are already in place in limited ways.

But the students deserve credit for thinking of new ways to improve a vital industry and good ideas are good ideas, regardless of where they come from.

SPOILED POINT EDT Spoiled point Fans of courtroom TV dramas will know that canny lawyers will ask a question that they shouldn't have and then withdraw it when the judge asked them to.

The intent is to plant an idea or fact in the jury's minds; the fact that it is withdrawn later and does not become part of the record is immaterial.

Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon would do well to take a leaf out of those lawyers' books with regard to her recent criticisms of Premier Jennifer Smith.

Ms Gordon was quite correct last Friday to criticise Ms Smith's rehashing of her appointment diary when she reports back to the House of Assembly on her foreign travels.

But she was quite wrong to refuse to apologise when told to do so by the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

By doing so, she drew the attention from the point she was making and placed most of the media glare on her own behaviour.

MPs and the general public deserve to know what "bilateral matters'' were discussed between the Premier and the leaders of foreign countries; it may not be necessary to go into the full substance of the talks, but the subjects discussed would be helpful.

Ms Gordon made that point well.

But when Health Minister Nelson Bascome accused her of using unparliamentary language in calling the Premier " a spoilt princess'', the Speaker was correct to ask her to withdraw the statement. She may feel that the Speaker tends to rule in favour of the Government. She may even be right. Ms Gordon should still have withdrawn the statement; she had already made her point.