The Progressive Labour Party's website denied yesterday that funds had bot been made available to fix the fence around the perimeter of the L.F. Wade International Airport.

The airport was on high alert on Tuesday after a man breached security by entering a restricted area. Bomb squads, fire trucks and Police were all called to the scene, with two flights grounded, after a former airport worker was said to have been spotted trying to access a plane at 4 a.m.

On Tuesday afternoon Airport Manager Aaron Adderley told The Royal Gazette: "There are susceptible areas of the fence. We do not have the financial resources to fix them all at once."

He also said the repairs were ongoing, prior to Hurricane Igor: "It's an ongoing capital process and the Airport is in the middle of repairing it at the moment."

"When we do get storm damage that does set us back in these efforts."

The Opposition said Government "reckless spending" resulted in the airport breach.

"What caught our attention was the statement by the airport's General Manager who said his department did not have 'the financial resources to fix' openings in the airport fence 'all at once'," Shadow Works and Engineering Minister Pat Gordon-Pamplin said in a statement released this afternoon.

"This was an extraordinary admission that showed the Government's reckless spending is limiting its ability to perform basic functions."

Yesterday the PLP website said work had started on the repairs prior to Igor, adding: "That's right, there are funds available and the PLP Government is taking action to replace and upgrade the fence."

The website quoted Mr. Adderley as saying: "Capital works, inclusive of maintenance is a standard line item in the airport budget, these funds are used, among other things to repair the perimeter fence line, which is often damaged by hurricanes and winter storms. The fence encloses an area that is over 600 acres in size, nearly one tenth the size of Bermuda's total land mass, and replacing it completely is a significant undertaking.

"That said the management and staff of the airport do all that they can in terms of refurbishment work to address the most susceptible areas. The Ministry will continue to prioritise maintenance projects and comply with all regulatory requirements as our utmost focus is ensuring that all our borders, including our airport borders, are safe, secure and protected."

The website added: "These are the facts. The airport has in it's budget the funds to fix hurricane damaged portions of the fence and for capital works projects to upgrade the fence and ensure that our airport meets all international security standards. "

Premier Ewart Brown, who is in charge of the Department of Transport, and Mr. Adderley did not respond for a request for comment yesterday.