A most unusual event happened in Bermuda's Parliament yesterday -- debate between opposing politicians on a matter ended early.

The Works and Engineering budget was slated to be debated for three hours yesterday afternoon but it finished up roughly an hour early because Shadow Minister Jim Woolridge was not in the House.

A dispute between Speaker Stanley Lowe and Mr. Woolridige kept Mr. Woolridge, the Shadow Minister for Works and Engineering out of Parliament.

Mr. Lowe told The Royal Gazette that Mr. Woolridge was not "barred'' from the House.

"Under the rules he was only put out for one day,'' he said. However, he declined to speak further on the matter due to his position.

The Speaker has the ability to eject a member from the House if that member behaves in a "grossly disorderly'' manner under the House rules.

Mr. Lowe exercised that right last week and tossed Mr. Woolridge from Parliament after he referred to Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb as a "piece of garbage'' during an off-side House spat.

The Speaker asked Mr. Woolridge to apologise to Ms Webb and when the Shadow Minister refused, he was ordered out of Parliament.

The dispute between the Speaker and Mr. Woolridge led the Opposition to boycott the debate.

"Mr. Woolridge, the real Shadow (Minister for Works and Engineering) can not be here for reasons known to the Speaker,'' Opposition member John Barritt told the House. The Opposition "can not speak (on Works and Engineering) for that reason.'' There was a loud exchange between the two sides of the House on whether Mr.

Woolrdige could not attend or chose not to attend.

"Contrary to what has been said by Mr. Barritt, who said Mr. Woolridge can not be here -- that's not entirely true, Mr. Woolridge can be here, he chooses not to be here,'' said Government member El James who was chairing the committee as the W&E budget was under debate.

Opposition members started to argue that Mr. James could not speak for the Speaker and was out of order when Government whip Ottiwell Simmons joined the fray.

"It does appear that the Opposition has (taken) the position that they are protesting the absence of their Shadow Minister by not participating in this debate.'' Minister fails to show "They're shouting now, I've never seen this before.

At the early close of debate on the matter, Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott expressed regret that the Ministry had not gotten the breadth of debate he had expected.

"I'm disappointed that I didn't receive the contribution I expected from the Opposition,'' he said. "But that was obviously their choice.'' No other member of the UBP spoke on the matter of the Works and Engineering budget and the House proceeded to other matters.

Last night Mr. Woolridge said he was not currently suspended from the House.

"That suspension was only for one day,'' he said.

Mr. Woolridge would not comment on the nature of the dispute between himself and Mr. Lowe which kept him out of the House, however.