The Premier has responded to Senator Michael Dunkley's calls for him to step down as Tourism and Transport Minister, saying: "It will not happen."

Sen. Dunkley, Shadow Tourism Minister, on Thursday called for Ewart Brown to relinquish his ministerial portfolio and instead concentrate on his role as Premier in a period of global financial crisis.

He told The Royal Gazette: "The Premier deals with every Cabinet portfolio and holding the portfolio of Tourism and Transport is an added responsibility. While we appreciate the Premier has a lot of enthusiasm and zeal, during these times we think it is important for him to concentrate on being Premier.

"Why not allow another Minister or backbencher to step into the Tourism and Transport portfolio? Government has people waiting in the wings. Why not give them the opportunity and then we as Bermudians will be better served."

The Opposition politician asked: 'What happened to the Platinum Period?"

He said: "The Minister has been in the post since 2004 and has failed to make any appreciable improvement.

"The record of the past ten years shouts of the need for better leadership in this vitally important industry, the second leg to Bermuda's economy."

The Premier said yesterday: "Usually I am able to say that the Senator is 'under informed' (like the time he said a decrease in 2008 cruise visitors was a surprise to him even though we accurately forecasted it and repeatedly explained it), but in this case I know without a doubt that he is aware of the platinum grade changes at Port Royal Golf Course, because he played there two weeks ago at the Government's invitation.

"I know he is aware of the five-star luxury hotel at Tucker's Point because he can see it from his golf club (Mid Ocean). And surely he reads well enough to know that we have experienced a dramatic upswing in visitors coming from New York.

"Also, I don't need to tell him about improvements at the Reefs, the Bermudiana House at Fairmont Hamilton Princess and Cambridge Beaches. He runs in the right circles to know all about those upgrades and I'm pretty sure he was in the House of Assembly on the day we passed the Hotel Concessions Act, paving the way for the Platinum Period.

"Given all of that, I can only conclude the Shadow Minister is asking us to hand the reins of governance over to him without his winning an election. To that I can say quite plainly: it will not happen!"

n Report from the House, Page 5