The PLP and the "People's Five'' combined to propel the Prohibited Restaurants Bill though its second reading yesterday.

Government was defeated 23-16 when a vote was taken in the House of Assembly.

But backbencher Ann Cartwright DeCouto, who sponsored the legislation and piloted the bill though the committee stage, asked the third reading take place on June 20, 1997.

Mrs. DeCouto was not without her critics yesterday as Tourism Minister David Dodwell heaped scorn on the bill.

"There's nothing positive about this bill,'' he said. "It is a regressive bill. You can't close the barn door after the horse has got out. You have to keep him in there.

"This is a hypocrisy bill. Where was the consultation? Who has she met with? Does this bill take global trends into consideration? These issues have not been raised. This country has been hijacked today.'' It was Mr. Dodwell who opened and spoke at some considerable length during a "take note'' motion about the recommendations contained in the Committee on Franchises' report.

That debate directly preceded the second reading of the Prohibited Restaurant's bill.

Mr. Dodwell was adamant he would not let it railroad the Franchise Committee's good work.

"I don't know if it has put a stop to everything,'' he said. "Where we go from here from a legislation standpoint I don't know.

"However in my view this committee and its report will not die. I think at some point in time wisdom will prevail.

"The core of what was discussed in this committee's report I believe will form the foundation at some point for the way we move forward on this particular policy.

"This Bill was looked at and passed in the House earlier in the year and it was then rejected by the Senate. After that Government said it would form a committee and come back to the House. No-one said, `do not do that'.

"What was done today was hijacking the country. If it stops here that will be hijacking.'' During the actual debate, only two MPs from the PLP -- deputy leader Eugene Cox and the Rev. Trevor Woolridge spoke, while Mr. Dodwell, former Premier John Swan and backbenchers C.V. Jim Woolridge, John Irving Pearman and Maxwell Burgess chipped in from the Government side.

Mrs. DeCouto said Bermuda has had a fast food franchise policy for the last 25 years that served Bermuda well.

Second reading From Page 1 She said the Minister of Finance enunciated its contents and to date there was no change to that long-standing "anti-franchise'' policy which was confirmed in a Bermuda Monetary Authority circular on May 25, 1995.

Mrs. DeCouto said public "outcry'' greeted the announcement that Grape Bay Ltd. -- a company of which Sir John and Mr. Burgess are two principals -- had applied to incorporate with one of its stated intentions being to bring a McDonald's franchise to Bermuda.

When Dr. Gibbons then gave Grape Bay Ltd. consent to incorporate, Mrs. DeCouto said an outcry greeted the announcement because everyone was wondering what happened to the policy.

"An awful lot of confusion followed,'' she said. "The policy still exists here. We have seen no change to the policy.'' Consequently, Mrs DeCouto said it was the intent of her Prohibited Restaurants Bill to produce a level playing field.

Mrs. DeCouto never received a response to her question about how many other people had expressed an interest in opening up another fast food franchise since Grape Bay Ltd. applied to open a McDonald's.

"I want to know how many inquires were asked so that we may see how many others are jogging on the sidelines waiting to put on their boots to get onto the field,'' she continued.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cox reiterated the PLP's opposition to fast food franchises and he lampooned franchise proponents who argued job creation was a major reason to support McDonald's coming to Bermuda.

While Mr. Woolridge said he was convinced there was a sizable majority of Bermudians who were against fast food franchises.

Sir John said the Prohibited Restaurant's bill sought to prevent a natural development under controlled conditions.