GOVERNMENT is facing fresh charges of cronyism after an associate of Premier Ewart Brown was awarded the island's first ever limousine permit.

And entrepreneur David Durham has been charged with being able "to see into the future" after carrying out a business plan which met with strict Government guidelines - before those guidelines had been written up,

Mr. Durham launched his Executive Limousines chauffeur service two weeks ago after shipping in two top-of-the-range Lexus sedan cars.

The business ¿ the first of its kind in Bermuda - was set up after Government passed laws earlier this year creating a new class of vehicle, allowing entrepreneurs to provide an exclusive, pay-by-the-hour luxury transportation service to discerning clients.

Strict guidelines ¿ stipulating the exact make, model and even colour of the vehicles permitted to run as limousines ¿ were drawn up by Government in the summer.

Yet Mr. Durham has stated publicly that he began the process of importing his vehicles - which meet those detailed guidelines exactly ¿ six months ago ¿ at least three months before the guidelines had been drafted and made public.

Yesterday Opposition Senate leader Bob Richards accused Government of deliberately giving Mr. Durham an unfair head start in his new venture ¿ by either giving him advance notice of what the regulations would be, or by writing the law to fit around the well-connected businessman's plan.

Sen. Richards also pointed out that Government introduced tax breaks on import duty for the new limousines just days before Mr. Durham's vehicles arrived on the island ¿ saving him hundreds of thousands of dollars in duty.

And the senator highlighted the "coincidence" that Mr. Durham's permit for the exclusive service was issued just days before the island was flooded with A-list celebrities performing at a number of high-profile events. Last week recording stars including Lionel Richie, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Smokey Robinson were on island performing at the Bermuda Musical Festival. Next week a quartet of the world's top golfers will be here to take part in the Grand Slam of Golf Tournament. According to Sen. Richards, Mr. Durham now has a lucrative monopoly on that clientele as the only legitimate chauffeur service on the island.

Premier and Transport Minister Dr. Brown outlined basic rules for limousine operators in the Limousine Regulation 2007 bill at the end of May.

The regulations state: "Exterior paintwork of limousines shall be of a colour to be approved by the Minister. Limousines shall be of a design to be approved by the Minister. The Minister shall from time to time publish by public advertisement or otherwise, the colour and design approved for limousines."

The Ministry later compiled a 'Limousine Permit Application Guide' which stated: "The Lexus LS460L is the vehicle selected by the Ministry. The approved colours are Smokey Granite Mica exterior with light grey leather trim and dark grey Bird's Eye Maple accent interior."

In an interview about his new enterprise in last Friday's Bermuda Sun, Mr Durham said: "I've been looking to get into the limo business for 25 years. I've finally been allowed. Because Lexus doesn't import to Bermuda, it took about six moths to get the cars here."

Yesterday Sen: Richards said the regulations appeared to have been "tailor-made" to fit Mr. Durham's business plan.

"It appears Mr. Durham has the ability to see into the future," Sen. Richards said.

"And what he sees is the exact same colour, the exact same trim, and the exact same dashboard on his vehicle that Government will later very precisely stipulate in its regulations - isn't that amazing? That's what I call foresight. He's a visionary."

"It looks like the law has been made to suit this car and this particular gentleman - who I believe happens to be a friend of the Premier. It looks like the car was brought in and then the legislation was drafted up to fit the vehicle - a case of putting the cart before the horse. This is just typical of a whole pattern of cronyism by this Government and if anyone wants to challenge me on that they can take a shot.

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