Premier Michael Dunkley tonight announced the resignation of Senator Nalton Brangman, as the Junior Minister of Tourism and Transport.

One Bermuda Alliance Senator Lynn Woolridge will add the Tourism and Transport portfolios to her current Junior Minister responsibilities.

Mr Brangman — who will remain in the Senate — gave up the Junior Minister’s post and serving up on any committees “that could conflict with his new employment at Morgans Point Ltd”.

The move came after it was announced Thursday that Sen Brangman — who has a background in engineering, energy and design — will join the company as Director of Infrastructure and Development by the Morgan’s Point developers.

In making the announcement Thursday, Morgan’s Point president Craig Christensen said Sen Brangman had already excluded himself from “matters that may arise out of the development of the Bermuda Tourism Plan, which may be considered a conflict in his new role”.

Mr Christiansen added: “Nalton has been a huge advocate of the Morgan’s Point development since his appointment as Senator and has been very helpful in bridging the gap between the developers and the Government.”

In the wake of the announcement, the Opposition Progressive Labour Party had been highly critical of the move.

PLP leader Marc Bean — while careful to say that his party supports the development — expressed “shock” at the retention of the Junior Minister’s post, adding it was a role “that has already and will, in the future, put him in a position where direct conflicts between his private and public employment are sure to arise”.

Mr Bean also suggested that Mr Dunkley had not learned from his party’s “mistakes” and followed “the ministerial code of conduct by reassigning Senator Brangman to a different portfolio”.