Former Premier John Swan has leapt to the defence of the Salvation Army after Health Minister Patrice Minors lashed it for always begging for money.

Last month Mrs. Minors hit back over reports of poor conditions at the Salvation Army hostel by saying she was fed up with the charity?s requests for more cash.

Mrs. Minors, whose Ministry funds services at the shelter, said she planned to invite other agencies to tender to run it amid ?concerns? about the Salvation Army.

Her comments followed a expose on how the Marsh Lane shelter ? the only one of its kind on the Island ? has major problems with its rotting 25-year-old structure with holes in the floors, roof and walls.

However Sir John said the Salvation Army did a great job picking up where Government had left off and didn?t deserve the criticism.

He said: ?We must stop the hypocrisy and help those institutions that have and continue to provide much needed help to generations of Bermudians. The Government has a moral imperative to do so.

?To anyone who for political or other reasons attempts to discredit, diminish, demean or confuse the public about the outstanding work of the Salvation Army, I say shame on you.?

Sir John said he had attended church services at the Salvation Army from his early childhood and grew to appreciate the help they gave to the less fortunate. ?The personal impact on me and the significant social and spiritual contribution to the Community that the Salvation Army has made is remarkable.?

He said when he became Premier in 1982 housing was a very critical issue. ?I realised that there were people who just needed shelter and something to eat.?

So the Government built the shelters on North Street which are run by the Salvation Army at reasonable cost.

?Particularly compared to the cost of any other facility offered by Government or any other organisation,? said Sir John. ?The shelters are clean, disciplined, efficiently run and provide meals to many who would otherwise go hungry.

?The Salvation Army has shown by their respect for the less fortunate, their proven ability, their compassion and their selflessness and spiritual mission that they are quite capable of filling certain aspects of the Community?s social needs void that the Government is unable to fill.?