Senators passed a bill yesterday setting up an independent committee to assess politicians' pay.

It is hoped the move will end the controversy surrounding MPs and Senators voting on their own pay rise and allow an independent panel to work out a fair rate.

Independent committees have been tried in several other countries and recommendations often lead to a hefty pay rise.

Recently politicians awarded themselves a 4.5 percent pay rise in line with that given to civil servants. MPs get $39,428 while Senators get $26,287.

The Premier is paid $72,286 to add to his earnings as an MP, while the Deputy Premier gets $49,285, and the Attorney General gets $110,254. Cabinet Ministers earn $37,730 in addition to their salaries as MPs or Senators.

The bill will set up an eight-person committee including an accountant, a lawyer or judge, a former MP, two members nominated by the Opposition and three people appointed by the Premier.

The Opposition failed to pass an amendment removing a clause about part-time and full-time Ministers.

United Bermuda Party Sen. Bob Richards said time spent on the job wasn't equivalent to effort or skill put in and that the distinction between full-time and part-time was naive and could not be made.

He recalled his time running the Telecommunications Ministry when he had to deal with a $100 million law suit lodged against Government and protracted negotiations with monopoly carriers as he sought to introduce competition into the sector.

Sen. Richards said some Ministries could be relatively quiet until circumstances put the Minister in the firing line.

The motion was defeated with the two independent senators present voting with Government.

However Independent Senator Alfred Oughton said he feared talented people would be put off entering politics if they were forced to give up their other jobs.

The independents also sided with Government to defeat an Opposition motion requiring the pay review team sit every five years rather than every two.

Opposition leader Kim Swan argued that timing would coincide with the average length of each parliament.

Opposition Senators filed two motions yesterday, to be debated at a later date. One said: "This House deplores the increase in violent crimes, particularly crimes against visitors, and supports the need to take immediate corrective actions." The other said: "This House deplores the impact of institutional racism on our society and supports the need for economic empowerment legislation."