Bermuda's students, not politics, should be the number one priority of the Berkeley construction project, said United Bermuda Party (UBP) whip Maxwell Burgess on Friday.

Ruling party backbencher Stanley Morton agreed and challenged critics of the project to visit the site to make a better assessment.

"For members to have a realistic approach to any construction project you must get in the centre," he said.

"People could call the project manager or people in the Government to arrange a site visit." In response to Opposition heckling Mr. Morton defended Works Minister Alex Scott as one of the "most accessible" Government Ministers.

"If you cannot see that person, see me and I will assist you in your ultimate goal." Mr. Morton drew an objection from the UBP's Patricia Gordon Pamplin by saying that while he accepted the Opposition's right to criticise sometimes they "manufactured" things.

He added that the whole country, not just the Government, can celebrate when a goal like the Berkeley project is achieved.

"There has to be a unified effort for Government to achieve anything."

Responding to Government's criticism of the Auditor General's report on the Berkeley project, Mr. Burgess said: "I know frankly that we do ourselves a disservice when we try to undermine that post or that person when we don't like what is published."

Playing politics with the project "cannot be in Bermuda's interest or the students interest," he added. "They (students) must be our first priority. If the project's not going to be finished, all arrangements should be in place for the students."

Mr. Burgess called on Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott to work with the Auditor and contractor Pro Active and let Parliament know the problems and solutions to the controversy plagued project.

Finishing the project on time and on budget "has to be his first priority," he said. "Hiding doesn't make sense. It doesn't help any of us."

He said his party will make an official response to the Auditor's report. "We cannot shirk that responsibility but in saying that, let's remember what and who must come first. No one is a winner if we continue to argue over the spoils that don't exist. So I'm urging all of us to remember that our students come first."

Mr. Burgess also urged Government to table various contentious contracts in the House of Assembly.

He pointed out that a dispute between communications company Hardell and the Bermuda Hospitals Board had left patients without television for months. "Dare I say our colleague Lois Browne Evans was unable to watch television whilst in hospital," he said.

"Bring the contract up here and let's see what's wrong." And referring to an ongoing debate over tendering policy, he pointed out that Harold Darrell, who owns Hardell Communications, and his manager Corey Butterfield "are supposed to look like my cousin (Telecommunications and Tourism Minister Renee Webb)".

Hardell's contract to install TV monitors at the airport was also in disarray, he said. "One day we had monitors, the next day we don't... All parties should be treated fairly."

Turning directly to the debate on economic empowerment, he said that the goal was "laudable and agreeable" but there should be a proper programme in place.

"It's not good enough to make sure people have opportunities," because contractors without experience cannot compete effectively against those with lots of experience, he argued. He criticised Premier Jennifer Smith's statement on her Government's tendering policy by saying she came out on the side of two of her Ministers - Alex Scott and Renee Webb - who were "180 degrees apart" on the issue.

"If you don't have the conviction in your heart, that policy won't work in the first place," Mr. Burgess said.