The row about ?plantation questions? rumbled into the Senate this week.

Opposition Senate Leader accused the Government of ?revisiting electioneering tactics? that he said polarised the community.

But Government hit back at Sen. Swan, saying he needed to look at his own party?s removal of Grant Gibbons as leader before blasting the Government on race.

The Senate debate came after Deputy Premier Ewart Brown told a public meeting last week that he would no longer be answering ?plantation questions? from reporters. And in the 2003 General Election he declared: ?Voting for the UBP would be the equivalent of voting yourself back onto the plantation.?

Sen. Swan yesterday said he was worried about Government re-visiting the theme, this time over questions about development at the former Club Med site.

He said questions needed to be asked when a press conference was held to announce a new developer, but the new developer was ?nowhere to be seen?.

After the switch of developer, Government was urged to come forward with some explanation as to why a previously favoured developer was dropped suddenly after spending more than two years and reportedly $2 million planning a scheme that would have brought a Four Seasons Hotel to the East End. Tourism Minister Dr. Ewart Brown has stated he would not discuss the past negotiations with the Quorum group or why they were terminated.

But Sen. Swan continued: ?When we try and get to the crux of this the Minister tries and plays the race card.?

He said an election was at least two years away, but the use of such language might be an indication voters could be heading to the polls as early as this summer.

And he urged Government to stop ?shooting the messenger?, and said it should have the courage to defend itself on its record rather than racist rhetoric.

Sen. Tannock, in response, said: ?When it comes to racism they (the UBP) do not even feel comfortable with who they have as their leader when they move towards another election.

?They have in the past continued to show by their actions, their racism.?

Sen. Tannock said it was as clear as ?day and night? that the Opposition had decided that Dr. Gibbons could not lead them to victory at the polls.

?What?s that saying to our community? What?s that saying to those young people who are looking at us? Are they afraid to take a chance or do they feel more comfortable with someone other than Dr. Gibbons??

He said the recent leadership change was an attempt to ?hoodwink? the electorate, but he said he thought voters would not fall for such ?stupidity?.

Fellow Government , said the previous Club Med developer blew its exclusive chance to move forward by missing its deadline ? and the media should be asking why that was the case.

He said the development was now a ?watching brief? and the Government wanted to see it in use after decades of closure. Sen. Roban stressed a ?rigorous regime? was used to asses potential investors.

Sen. Roban said the outlook on tourism was bright, with more flights jetting to Bermuda. He said Bermuda was closed to hotel investment for nearly 20 years under the UBP before the Hotels Concessions Act was introduced by Government.

?Tourism is moving forward, and that?s after so many years of decline and lack of opportunity,? he declared.