Environment Minister Tim Smith faced mounting pressure yesterday to resign over off-the-cuff remarks he made in the House of Assembly.

The rookie MP was heard over the radio branding United Bermuda Party rebels "wicked'' and a "nasty bunch''.

He then took a swipe at Mr. Trevor Moniz, claiming the UBP backbencher had lodged a planning appeal over his house.

Mr. Smith, also Minister of Planning and Natural Resources, said he had not looked at the appeal.

"I said I ain't looking at it for now,'' he added.

The remarks were made in Parliament on Friday, when the Paget West MP apparently thought his microphone was turned off.

He was chatting to former Cabinet Minister Mr. John Irving Pearman after Friday's election of Opposition MP Mr. Stanley Lowe as Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Smith seemed to be outraged after five Government MPs, including Mr.

Moniz, stayed away from the House and helped Mr. Lowe's election bid.

The Royal Gazette has obtained a written transcript of Mr. Smith's remarks which were picked up by radio listeners.

It reads: "Irving, these guys are a nasty bunch. They're wicked. I'm not so concerned about the party. The party will live on.

"Irving, Trevor Moniz has an illegal house down in Hamilton. He's got an appeal in to me for an illegal house.

"I haven't even looked at it. I said I ain't looking at it for now. The naughty b*****.

"He built it anyway. Couldn't care less. They're a law unto themselves.'' Yesterday, Mr. Moniz, MP for Smith's South, was reluctant to comment at length on the controversy.

He said Mr. Smith's reference to the planning appeal was "clearly a very serious matter''.

"As a Minister dealing with an appeal he is acting in a judicial capacity, and the duties are very arduous.'' Mr. Moniz said he lodged an appeal after planners objected to his home in Smith's South, claiming it was too high.

Fellow UBP backbencher Dr. David Dyer yesterday called on Mr. Smith to step down, and publicly apologise.

"I was in my office listening to the proceedings on the radio, when I heard Mr. Smith's remarks and scribbled down hasty notes.

"I would have thought Tim Smith has breached several rules -- one is that as a Cabinet Minister he should act more as a judge when dealing with appeals.

"Listening to his remarks there appears to be almost a personal thing here, which is directed at Trevor Moniz.

"There seems to be a deliberate delay of the normal appeals process.'' He added: "I would have thought the right and proper thing for someone who has done this and made a major error ... is to tender his resignation and publicly apologise.'' Dr. Dyer drew parallels with the political demise of businessman Mr. Llewellyn Peniston, a former cruise lines' agent and Government Senator.

Mr. Peniston, said Dr. Dyer, was forced to quit in the mid 1980s over personal notes he handed David Allen in the Senate Budget debate after the Shadow Tourism Minister criticised Government cruise ship policy.

Pressure on Smith to quit as Minister In the notes, Mr. Peniston threatened to cancel cruise line advertisements in `Bermuda Dateline', if Mr. Allen continued claiming there were too many cruise ships.

Mr. Allen later showed them to Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade, who informed then Premier Sir John Swan.

UBP backbencher and former Minister Clarence Terceira was concerned about the "bad language'' Mr. Smith had used.

"No doubt, it's most unfortunate what he said was recorded.'' More serious, however, were the comments about Mr. Moniz, continued Dr.

Terceira.

"It is extremely serious. How is he going to deal with the appeal?'' House Speaker Ernest DeCouto said he believed MPs should be accountable for everything they say in the precincts of the House -- even when making casual asides to political colleagues.

"They should be careful about what they say. I think Mr. Smith has a responsibility and should be accountable.'' Last night, Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade said Mr. Smith should "remove himself from the Cabinet''.

"He has demonstrated by his remarks his inability to honour the secret trust given to him as a Minister. There is no room for that kind of behaviour.'' Mr. Wade also likened the controversy to the one which surrounded Mr.

Peniston.

"Peniston was asked to resign and within 24 hours he was gone from the Senate.'' He added: "I expect Tim Smith to do the right thing.'' Mr. Smith was in Spain yesterday and could not be reached for comment.