Opposition Sen. Leonard Santucci has accused Government Senate Leader David Burch of deflecting the blame over claims that Government needs to provide more leadership.

Sen. Santucci said Sen. Burch had merely hit out at the previous United Bermuda Party Government in the Senate on Wednesday, instead of addressing the real issue, which was whether or not the ruling Progressive Labour Party was providing enough leadership on social ills.

The Royal Gazette reported yesterday how Sen. Santucci had challenged the Government to provide more leadership on issues such as violence, crime and social woes.

But Sen. Burch hit back and accused the previous administration of creating a monster when it was in power by promising to be all things to all men.

He said the Progressive Labour Party had never promised that, and wanted people to be responsible for themselves.

And he said there would be no more "grace and favour', as in the past.

Yesterday, Sen. Santucci said Sen. Burch had totally missed the point.

"He is merely trying to deflect the blame onto the United Bermuda Party," said Sen. Santucci.

"He has not addressed the issue of leadership at all. It's my belief that he would much rather speak to the sins of the United Bermuda Party of the past, and I will admit that it's my personal view that in many instances and arenas, they fell short, but I would also admit that at least they tried.

"Sen. Burch appears to merely be deflecting responsibility. The PLP is the Government and is therefore required to govern and - or lead."

Sen. Santucci said, in some instances, that would only amount to articulating a certain standard of behaviour or expectation among people.

And he said leadership was much more than simply delivering on your election platform and being committed to a cause, as Sen. Burch had claimed.

He added: "The Government has a responsibility to lead this country and to speak of expectation and standards on issues.

"And they can't pick and choose who they will lead and who they will not lead. Able-bodied people, I agree, ought to be able to fend for themselves, but they still require leadership."

Sen. Burch said on Wednesday that Government was not there to fend for every Tom, Dick and Harry, and said able-bodied people had to take responsibility for themselves.

He said: "This is a new day. You are asking this Government to be all things to all people. We never promised that."

And he added: "You want to talk about leadership? It's about being committed to a cause and going forward."