UBP MP John Barritt has accused Arthur Hodgson as thinking along the same lines as Adolf Hitler by appearing to single out foreigners as the source of Bermuda's problems.

In yesterday's The Royal Gazette Mr. Hodgson regretted the Island had brought in so many foreigners.

He also said they were taking the country over and that drug problems and discontent had been sparked by an alien profit-dominated culture.

Mr. Barritt said: "I was disturbed and concerned when I read what he had said. It was what I can only describe as Hitler-like analysis to Bermuda's problems.

"I don't choose those words lightly. I choose them carefully. When closely reading the interview I could not help but be reminded of the history of Germany.

"Hitler was also a very astute politician and was able to rise to power in Germany by placing the blame for the economic and social ills of the Weimar republic on a group of people.

"He was able to mobilise an entire nation and rose to power because he said he could correct all the wrongs by getting rid of this group of people. Those people were the Jews and we know where that lead to.

"In spite of his protestations and qualifications of that interview Arthur Hodgson came dangerously close to doing just that by blaming Bermuda's ills on a group of people who have come to live and work in Bermuda.

"Mr. Hodgson sounds an awful lot like he has an analysis similar to Hitler.

If you get rid of those people everything will come right, but that's wrong.

"He stopped just short of playing the race card. We can't prosper and probably won't survive if that is going to be the approach.

"What degree does this represent the real thoughts of the PLP government or is it the thoughts of just one Cabinet minister? "He is a senior minister within the PLP government and is regarded in some circles as a possible successor or rival to Jennifer Smith.

"Bermuda's problems aren't unique. Our forte seems to be denying their existence or blaming someone else and thereby avoiding personal responsibility.

"We're not the only community to have a drug problem, people wanting to hang about or hustle, or single parent families. But because of Bermuda's small size they get highlighted a lot more.

"I can't accept this simplistic analysis of why things go wrong. If it were true it would be true in every other community.

"These are the problems of the 21st Century -- they are not caused by any one group of people.

"A lot of our problems stem from our economic success and not over the lack of it. Bermuda has enjoyed unbridled prosperity over the last 30 years.'' But Mr. Barritt stopped short of calling for Mr. Hodgson's resignation. He said: "I would like to see him reflect on what he has said and have a genuine rethink.'' However Mr. Hodgson said: "Many people who read the entire article called to commend me on it.

"I truly regret that a politician like Mr. Barritt who is normally rather level-headed should have gone over the top by trying to compare me with Hitler, of all people.

"I suspect on reflection he might rethink the comparison.'' "When people react in this fashion it is important to bring a level of sobriety to the discourse.

The Environment Minister said he found common ground with Mr. Barritt on the issue of personal responsibility.

He said: "Responsibility must fall on Government. It was under the UBP that these problems developed.

"Why doesn't Mr. Barritt accept responsibility for that? At no point did I blame those who came to Bermuda. I did not say that and I did not mean that.

"People come to Bermuda as a result of an invitation and as I said in the article we depend upon tourism and international companies.

"But because the UBP did this to extremes so we have developed problems. The fact that other countries have similar problems is no reason to follow them.

"We should be aiming at making an ideal society so that they can follow us.

We think this is possible. Some of my comments have come as a result of talks with those involved with tourism and international business who want to see a quality of life preserved and who don't want to see it being destroyed through overloading.''