Premier Ewart Brown is in South Africa for the World Cup final — meaning he will miss one of the last House of Assembly sittings before MPs break for the summer.

The Island's elected politicians still have to debate several important bills before the summer recess, including public access to information, parental responsibility and double jeopardy, as well as a report on electoral boundary changes and motions on violent crime and a code of conduct for MPs.

The House is expected to adjourn until the autumn on July 16, with this Friday's sitting one of the last chances the Government has to push through legislation before November.

Dr. Brown told Parliament of his vacation plans with his wife last week and posted this message on his Facebook page: "Wanda and I are on our way to South Africa (at our own expense).

"We were hoping to see my team Brazil in the final but it was not to be. We always enjoy South Africa and we are looking forward to the stay there."

Opposition leader Kim Swan criticised the trip last night. "We're not surprised the Premier has flown off to South Africa to enjoy the World Cup final games," he said. "This is part of a travel habit that has seen him spend more time off the Island than any of his predecessors, by a country mile.

"That the Premier will miss this week's second last meeting of Parliament, which has a long list of business to get through, is completely beside the point. The Country's business is not his priority — he is."

Mr. Swan said he didn't personally begrudge Dr. Brown taking the opportunity to attend the World Cup but added: "Given his chronic absenteeism and the state of the Country, his timing, and the signal he sends to the community, is terrible."

Several Government backbenchers told The Royal Gazette they had concerns about the Premier's attendance rate in the House. One PLP MP criticised Dr. Brown for leaving the Lower Chamber during a discussion on the Mincy Report on young black Bermudian males, after saying during his opening address that it was "by far the most important debate of this young century".

"He said what he had to say and left. He didn't listen to what other people had to offer."

The backbencher, who would not be named, added: "The leader should be there all the time, unless it's very important business. The people of the Island, the voters, have to decide whether the World Cup is more important than the people's business."

Minister without Portfolio Zane DeSilva told The Royal Gazette that Mr. Swan ought to come up with figures to support a claim he made in the House on Friday that the Premier was "hardly ever" there.

"I think he pays his dues," Mr. DeSilva said of the Premier. "I don't think we'll ever see another Premier who works as hard as he works.

"As the Premier of the Country, you are going to be expected to travel and I think his record of travelling and what he has produced out of those trips has just been unbelievably fruitful for us, with the airlines alone."

He said the Premier deserved a vacation, even if Parliament was still sitting, adding: "You only have the World Cup once every four years and the Premier is not a young chicken any more.

"He could be gone the next month; he could be gone the next year. We have Ministers and Members of Parliament; there are many of us who should be able to hold the fort in his absence."

Former Premier Alex Scott said: "He certainly is entitled to vacation time and the other times he has been away may well have been on business."

Government backbencher Walter Lister told the House on Friday: "He can't always be here because he has a job. The Premier works for the Country. The Opposition has nothing else to do but complain."

Dr. Brown's Facebook post prompted 44 comments from other users, the majority wishing him safe travels and a fun trip.

It was not possible to obtain statistics from the House of Assembly yesterday on attendance figures for MPs this parliamentary session. Dr. Brown's spokesman said he had no comment in the absence of such figures. Bermuda Democratic Alliance chairman Michael Fahy said the party did not wish to comment.