Tourism Department received approval from various segments of the community this week.

Government plans to form the Bermuda Tourism Authority, which would emphasise partnerships between the public and private sectors of the community.

The move was lambasted recently by Tourism Shadow Minister David Allen who claimed it would cost the majority of Tourism Department staff their jobs.

(See story in box.) However these claims were largely dismissed by Bermuda Public Services Association acting general secretary Stephen Emery.

The BPSA represents the civil service labour force in the Tourism Department and has been involved in discussions on the subject of creating an authority.

Talks were ongoing about the effect creating an authority would have on the staff, said Mr. Emery, and the BPSA was satisfied so far that "every provision will be made to maintain employment''.

"We are certainly pleased with the way the discussions are going,'' he added.

The ongoing discussions would enable the BPSA to make sure there were no disadvantages in employment when the department reverted to the authority, he added.

And Mr. Emery pointed out the BPSA already worked with organisations outside Government such as the Bermuda College and the Bermuda Monetary Authority.

The idea of a creating a Bermuda Tourism Authority, which was revealed in last November's Throne Speech by Governor Thorold Masefield, has also received praise from the hotel and international business sectors who will be directly affected by the change.

Bermuda International Business Association president Glenn Titterton said the idea of creating an authority was "a very positive step'' which "we are very supportive of''.

BIBA has been involved in discussions with tourism representatives about the Authority for some time and were "100 percent supportive'' of the idea to form the private organisation, he stressed.

"We feel very definitely that it is the correct way to go. Bermuda only has to gain from this change.

"In the long run this will prove to be a real crossroads for tourism and we feel continued improvement and prosperity will be the result of this change along with the other things that are going on such as the Monitor work.'' And he was joined by Bermuda Hotel Association president Dennis Tucker, who said his organisation supported the concept of the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

"The Bermuda Hotel Association has been involved in the proposal since the Minister first brought it forward. we are very pleased to have been involved in the process.

"We feel it is the right way to go in reference to the marketing of Bermuda.'' Partnerships between the public and private sectors were the way to go, he stressed.

"We are pleased that the Minister talks about partnership between the public and the private sector as we support that concept.

"The only way we can continue to strive toward improving our tourism base here in Bermuda is by the public and private sector, under the Bermuda Tourism Authority, working together.'' An authority would give local tourism players the ability to adapt to global trends quicker than the present Government system, added Mr. Tucker.

"We also feel the establishment of a tourism authority will enable Bermuda to respond to the changing trends in tourism in a far more effective and efficient manner which will work to the benefit of tourism as a whole in Bermuda.'' He also stressed that hotels and tourism chiefs were not the only players who needed to get involved in the scheme.

"We do not feel that the Authority should just be hoteliers and tourism officials. If it is going to be successful, it needs to have the participation of all the stake holders in tourism.'' The plan to revamp tourism's governing body also received the backing of a long-time proponent of the idea of privatising the Tourism Department.

United Bermuda Party candidate Bob Stewart called the authority "a step in the right direction''.

The chief executive officer of Shell Bermuda, and author of the book An Economy Which Works, said privatisation would bring discipline to the Department of Tourism which had proved itself to be unsuccessful over the past ten years.

This "discipline of the market place'' penalised failures, noted Mr. Stewart.

"They either do the job successfully or they are replaced.'' And Bermudians would reap the benefits, he continued.

"If the Department of Tourism in its new form is successful, businesses will rebound and incomes will be raised. If it fails, it will be replaced by an organisation which will succeed.'' Rewards went to those who competed successfully, stressed Mr. Stewart.

"If you fail to compete successfully, then by definition you are a failure.'' And privatisation would free the tourism governing body from political pressures, he continued.

One of the handicaps the Department of Tourism had was its civil servants, he said, adding: "They cannot be dismissed unless they do something extraordinarily bad.'' As a private organisation, everyone within it would be accountable, he pointed out.