are often unsteady, moving slowly, uncertain how to get away from a slick cycle riding thief who darts in and out of traffic, and unfamiliar with how to protect themselves. If they are walking they are probably frightened that the thief may be armed and, quite naturally, do not want to be hurt, especially in a strange Country.

Yet visitors are the people Bermuda can least afford to have victimised.

As the Minister of Public Safety, Quinton Edness, has said, attacks on visitors put tourism at risk. "It threatens the economy and the general welfare of everyone.'' The important phrase there is "the general welfare of everyone''. It threatens the families of the thieves just as much as the hotel owners, probably more so because the hotel owners have a financial cushion.

Since just about everyone is shocked by crimes against visitors, we should unite in trying to protect our visitors and rid Bermuda of this kind of crime.

We could start with unified political condemnation of those people who prey on visitors. It would be a big help to hear all three political parties agree that crimes against visitors are crimes against Bermuda.

It may be that all visitors should be given, on arrival, a list of things to do to help themselves have a trouble free vacation. Not frightening warnings but some helpful suggestions...lock your doors especially if you have a door which leads outside, do not leave valuables unattended on the beaches, don't be careless late at night, lock your cycles and some suggestions on handbag thefts.

Handbag thefts seem to go in spurts because often the thefts turn out to have been committed by one person and when that person is caught, as they usually are, the number of thefts dies down for awhile. In the meantime, every theft deprives Bermuda of the business of the victim as well as the victim's relatives, friends and workmates.

Eventually crime and violence against visitors will destroy tourism because people are not going to spend a great deal of money to be unsafe. The alternative is hotels as a destination, and not all of Bermuda as a destination, with visitors guarded inside compounds.

In the past suggestions have been made for securing bags on cycles. Locking a bag to a cycle is not a good idea because the rider, especially an uncertain rider, risks being pulled to the ground. Surely covered baskets or small lockable carriers are the answer.

Whatever it takes to stop the thefts it has to be done. Sometimes it takes only a small effort. We are reminded of how quickly our publication of "Check these cheques'' cut down on cheque theft and forgery.