Bermuda Democratic Alliance leader Craig Cannonier last night questioned why Premier Paula Cox has rewarded former Ministers who previously "failed to protect the public purse" with new Cabinet posts.

Mr. Cannonier described the team selected by Ms Cox to run the country as "not inspired", adding in a statement: "What we have in fact seen is that most of the same people have been appointed to the Cabinet.

"These are the same people who we placed our trust in to ensure the public purse would be protected and to ensure that cronyism and favouritism would be eliminated — but who have already failed at those tasks."

Echoing the words of United Bermuda Party leader Kim Swan — who on Monday described the new Cabinet as the "same tired group" — Mr. Cannonier said: "The deck has been shuffled but it is the same tired game."

He added: "Ministry name changes achieve nothing. It is not real change that you can believe in."

The new 13-strong Cabinet has two more Ministers than in the last administration. The Premier has kept eight members of the last Cabinet and brought in four new faces: Dame Jennifer Smith, Terry Lister, Patrice Minors and Michael Weeks. Mr. Weeks is the only one of the four not to have been in a previous Progressive Labour Party Cabinet.

Mr. Cannonier said he and the rest of Bermuda were questioning whether the most qualified people had been selected and why the numbers in Cabinet had increased "when the economy has been shrinking".

He also raised concerns about "some of our Senate appointments, especially if the conversation and divisiveness is to change in this country".

Mr. Cannonier said Ms Cox's decision to create a Procurement Office within her own Finance Ministry to oversee capital projects suggested she was micromanaging.

"Does she have no faith in the capability of her Ministers or civil servants to follow the existing protocols or her directions?" he asked.

"Most businesses make such radical moves when they know they have a serious problem; however, our Government has not admitted to this nor apologised for the mishandling of the people's purse.

"No matter the office you create, if you have the same managers in place the office will still be poorly run. The country has called for real change. The concern is: can this Cabinet deliver what Bermuda so desperately needs?

"I need some serious convincing, as do the people of Bermuda."

He suggested Ms Cox ought to have looked outside her own party for suitable Cabinet appointees.

"Why not extend an arm of inclusivity and capitalise on the intellectual capital that exists amongst the BDA and the UBP or to those outside political parties? This would be a major step in moving forward."

The Bermuda Constitution Order stipulates that the Cabinet must include at least one Senator but not more than two, with the rest of the Ministers made up of MPs.

Ms Cox described her new team on Monday as "dynamic, able and with integrity" while the PLP website said the new Cabinet featured the right mix of "experience and new faces".

PLP public relations officer Curtis Williams said last night: "We note the comments from Mr. Cannonier and find them interesting. However, Mr. Cannonier and the BDA should realise that Bermuda is tired of politics as usual and the endless combative ping pong of disagreement for disagreement's sake.

"It is ironic that Mr. Cannonier would be so disappointed in the composition of the Cabinet, when the public support so far that has been articulated has been overwhelmingly positive.

"The Premier of Bermuda has unveiled a National Plan that will be further articulated in Friday's Speech from the Throne and would certainly invite members of the BDA to listen intently so they can make meaningful contributions to the future well-being of Bermuda."