Pitcher shows that Bermuda has not yet become a place where violent crime is seen as an every day event or is somehow acceptable.

Any murder is unacceptable in Bermuda and the whole community must come together to protest violent crime, whether it is in the home or in the street, on Front Street or on Court Street.

Bermuda is rightly proud of its low crime rate and the fact that you can walk down almost any street without fear. That sense of comfort needs to be restored in the wake of last weekend's incident.

With two men in custody in connection with Mr. Pitcher's death, very little can or should now be said at this stage about the circumstances surrounding it.

It is now up to the Police to investigate the case and, ultimately, a jury will have to decide who was -- or was not -- responsible.

But in the wake of the Rebecca Middleton trial debacle, it is vital for the Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions to ensure that every "i'' is dotted and every "t'' crossed before charges are brought. The credibility of the criminal justice system depends upon it.

TOURISM TALK EDT Tourism talk Tourism Minister David Allen's marathon speech on the Ministry of Tourism budget has left Opposition MPs hopping mad.

The Opposition has the right to decide when different Government Ministries will be debated and for how long. Five hours were allocated for tourism; Mr.

Allen spoke for more than four and a half of them, leaving his opposite number, David Dodwell, just 23 minutes. No other MP got a look in.

Mr. Allen may have felt that the strong criticisms of his first year at the helm of the Tourism Ministry entitled him to a long reply and defence of his performance. The fact that the first year of Government's tourism rescue mission saw every major tourism indicator but one fall meant that Mr. Allen did have a great deal to answer for.

He may also have felt justified in speaking at length having suffered, along with some of his colleagues, from the practice of United Bermuda Party Ministers who allowed little or no time for debate when they were in power.

But two wrongs do not make a right. The Country would have benefited from a full debate with contributions from MPs including Tourism Board chairman Delaey Robinson, former Minister C.V. (Jim) Woolridge, former Tourism official Randy Horton -- now working for the Princess Hotels -- and Dale Butler, now working for a restaurant company with a strong tourism component.

Monday's "debate'' provided little apart from the proof that Mr. Allen has stamina, a few additional pieces of news and some predictions for which Mr.

Allen will be held accountable at the end of the year. The New Bermuda deserves better.