recession, the Hon. Maxwell Burgess told the Senate yesterday.

There are 4,700 fewer work permits held today than a "few years ago'', he said. "That is 4,700 jobs that Bermudians did not lose during the recession and the shrinking economy.'' Presenting the Labour and Home Affairs budget, Sen. Burgess praised Government immigration policies, which he said protected Bermudians. "Had we had Bermudians in those jobs it would have been 4,700 more Bermudians who would have been unable to have work in the recession.'' These 4,700 jobs had been taken out of the economy without one Bermudian being unemployed as a result.

But Sen. Burgess and Labour and Home Affairs Minister the Hon. Irving Pearman came under attack from Senate Opposition leader Sen. Alex Scott , who said they had failed to match a PLP pledge to protect Bermudians "first and foremost''.

Sen. Burgess said Bermuda had shifted from a farming economy to a service economy in order to survive. To make the switch it had needed to import capital and brainpower, while protecting its people and interests.

He illustrated the Island's "exceptional'' performance by saying 45 percent of its homes are occupied by two or less people, a statistic shared only by one or two oil-producing countries.

The unemployment rate was about two percent, compared to an international standard of five percent.

But Sen. Burgess said the loss of 7,500 residents -- permit holders and their dependents -- had a "tremendous effect'' on the economy, hitting landlords, businesses and Government's tax base.

Turning to the granting of work permits, he said Government recognises some people try to get one up on Immigration. But Government acted when it discovered abuse.

Sen. Scott said there were a lot of abuses of immigration rules, especially in hotels.

He blasted Government's record on training Bermudians, saying that through the "great boom'', Bermudian men increased their employment by eight percent, the smallest gain. During the downturn their employment fell by seven percent -- the largest loss, he said.

Sen. Scott said he had been told a group of young Bermudian accountants were frustrated by their inability to get Public Service Commission interviews for posts at the Auditor's Office.

It was being circulated on the grapevine that non-Bermudians were making it to the PSC stage.

The Ministry was also failing to protect members of the Portuguese Bermudian Organisation, he said.

"When a Country allows people to stay in their shores for a period of time that witnesses the birth and growth and development of families here, whether we like it or not we have responsibilities to these families.'' Sen. Scott read from a letter sent to British Foreign Secretary Mr. Douglas Hurd by the PBO, asking him to encourage the Bermuda Government to show "compassion'' to long term residents.

The letter suggested Government deliberately failed to adequately publicise its 1979 amnesty for long term Bermuda-born residents.

Sen. Scott said he understood there was a division in the Portuguese community -- between those "safely in the status net'', who had connections with MPs, and those who were not covered.

He wondered why MPs of Portuguese descent had not addressed the issue. He then turned to the Waterside Inn, a new restaurant due to open at Dockyard.

Sen. Scott quoted a Royal Gazette story saying partner Mr. David LeStrange will manage the inn's day-to-day operations. Later, he said, the restaurant had advertised for a manager. "Bermudians are left to believe that this must be a real post to apply for. Either this is a position that is going to be held by the manager-owner and there is no need to fool with the public perception by advertising, or it is a legitimate ad.

"I'm inclined to believe that this is just a tailor-made ad.'' He then criticised Government for not protecting Bermudians qualified to care for old people.

"We have Bermudians who are taking courses for geriatric aides, but families are bringing in foreign assistants who are cheaper, and they take the positions that these Bermudians are trained for.''