A petition containing the signatures of more than 5,000 people who oppose the building of a beach bar on Warwick Long Bay was delivered to Premier Dr. Ewart Brown outside Parliament yesterday.

Protesters waving placards asked Dr. Brown and Environment Minister Glenn Blakeney to withdraw permission for a plan by entrepreneur Belcario Thomas to develop a 2,500 sq ft restaurant and cocktail bar on what they describe as a "pristine beach and national park".

But Tourism Minister Dr. Brown told the crowd of demonstrators that he backed Mr. Thomas' scheme as it could help give visitors a more exciting experience.

"I have supported this initiative at Warwick Long Bay because it's in line, in my opinion, with the principle of sustainable development," he said. "The structure is non-permanent. It's a temporary wooden deck that will be removed at the end of the beach season."

Mr. Thomas' application for his SandBar was rejected by the Development Applications Board (DAB) but approved on appeal by Mr. Blakeney. Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce (BEST) is to contest the decision at the Supreme Court.

Dr. Brown and other MPs took time out of a House of Assembly session to speak with demonstrators for about half an hour yesterday, with the Premier telling them: "I'm here to have a free and open discussion with you."

At that point a woman in the crowd called out: "Rubbish!"

There was more heckling when the Premier asked the campaigners why they hadn't opposed private developments such as the "Mid-Ocean beach house" or the Reefs.

"I would hope that your concern and your commitment is not limited to public property,"he said, to a clearly irritated crowd.

BEST Chairman Stuart Hayward told him: "You are judging us."

Dr. Brown replied: "That's your track record." Further niggling between the pair occurred when the Premier disagreed with a woman who said putting any kind of structure on previously untouched land meant it could never go back to being undeveloped.

Dr. Brown said: "Consistent with that then, is that there is no such thing as sustainable development."

Mr. Hayward called out: "Spin!" and Dr. Brown told him: "Ihave respect for you. Hard for me as it is to maintain that, I do."

Mr. Blakeney told campaigners that a liquor licence had not yet been given for the bar and was not a fait accompli. "It may just be a concession that consists of foodstuffs,"he said.

The Minister explained that he overturned the DABdecision because he saw the success of a previous tourism initiative on some of the Island's beaches. He said talking about the court case would be sub judice.

The demonstration began with objector Toni Daniels formally presenting the Premier with the petition and explaining that it had been signed by 5,133 people 4,567 residents and 566 visitors since January.

She said: "We do not want to see this pristine beach and national park put on the path to becoming commercialised like so many others in Bermuda."We believe that there must be something for everyone and that there must remain for our extraordinary country and her people, open and pristine parklands. Warwick Long Bay is one of those parklands."

After Dr. Brown returned to the House, Shadow Environment Minister Cole Simons urged the protesters to keep up their fight. He said Bermuda's past tourism success in tourism was a result of its outstanding beauty and maintaining it was the best way to attract visitors.

Warwick West MP and Shadow Justice Minister Mark Pettingill said he was appalled by Mr. Thomas' plan, which he described as "tacky at best".