Opposition MP Maxwell Burgess came under fire yesterday from the Progressive Labour Party after “jumping on the bandwagon of a rumour” about warrants for the arrest of several MP's.

Mr. Burgess brought up the rumour in the House of Assembly on Wednesday night during the Motion to Adjourn when MP's were discussing whether or not Bermuda is still a safe place to live in the wake of growing fears in the community about violent crime.

“We're dropping the standard and saying it's okay. It used to be six feet... soon it will be three foot six,” he said.

And when Government MP's retorted, saying “then you could jump over it”, Mr. Burgess replied that was exactly his point.

“The more you lower the bar the more whoever wants to can jump over it... the more people will begin to believe it's okay to act however they want to.”

That was when Mr. Burgess mentioned the rumour that there are several arrest warrants out for MP's. However as he was the last speaker and his time had run out, he said, he did not get a chance to elaborate.

Had he had more time, he told The Royal Gazette yesterday, he would have said not only was it his prayer that this rumour was untrue, but that: “It is of paramount importance that we declare it untrue... the sooner we can put this malicious rumour to bed the better off the community will be for it”.

After all, he said, it would take from Bermuda's respect for Parliamentarians and their views on the gravity of crime should a Parliamentarian break the law.

Whether the rumour is true or not has not yet been proved. With Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith off the Island, a Police spokesman told The Royal Gazette: “He (Mr. Burgess) made the comments, he would have to substantiate it, but we're not going to be drawn into it.”

And Deputy Governor Tim Gurney said: “A decision to pursue - or not pursue - a line of investigation is a matter for the Commissioner of Police and his team. Similarly, a decision whether to arrest an individual or not is one for the Commissioner and his team.

“The Governor would expect the Commissioner to keep him and the Deputy Governor updated on developments in investigations of a serious nature. This the Commissioner does. But it is not for the Governor or the Deputy Governor to take an active role in an investigation or in the Commissioner's decision-making process.

“It is of course not in the purview of Government House to issue an arrest warrant. This is solely a matter for the Commissioner.”

Whether the rumour is true or not, however, PLP public relations representative Glenn Blakeney told The Royal Gazette that although he respects Mr. Burgess, for him to use his position of power to spread rumours is irresponsible and inexcusable.

“I would expect a little more from a sitting MP than to jump on the bandwagon of rumour,” he said.

Adding that he believed Mr. Burgess's comments were an example of the desperation the Opposition were feeling in light of the PLP's election year Budget, Mr. Blakeney added: “We've turned them flat on their face.

“Let the legal process play itself out, I don't think politics should be involved,” he said, adding that both Opposition and Government MP's know the what constitutes breaking the law long before they arrive at the House of Assembly. “We can't have any comments on unsubstantiated rumour.”