The Government's attempt to court young voters via a popular online community continued with less success yesterday.

Minister of Labour and Immigration Derrick Burgess was available for two hours last night to more than 5,000 Bermudian users of Facebook, a social networking site with more than 30 million members world wide.

Progressive Minds, the youth wing of the Progressive Labour Party, organised the online event to allow people to ask questions about the National Training Board (NTB).

However, only seven people posed questions to the Minister and he answered them all.

One man asked him if people who got financial assistance from the NTB had to work for the Government he replied: "There is no requirement that they have to work for Government.

"There are some Government agencies that go through the NTB to educate their workers and then they return to their Government departments.

"Those that go shouldn't have a problem finding work as we have 10,000 work permit holders in the country and we assist people in finding jobs through the labour and employment section."

He added that people sent abroad for training can receive $300 a week to assist with their day-to-day needs and assists people find accommodation while they are studying abroad through the NTB.

Though the response may not have been as large as other initiatives started by Progressive Minds on Facebook the Minister said he enjoyed the chat and would be happy to do it again.

Progressive Minds have organised the two Open Mic Nights with the Premier, which have both seen hundreds of young adults turn out to ask the Premier about Government policies and give their opinions on some of Bermuda's issues.