The man behind an Internet page devoted to the Rebecca Middleton murder case mess-up yesterday slammed a statement on the affair by Premier Jennifer Smith as "gobbledegook.'' And Canadian Michael Vigodda branded comments by Tourism Minister David Allen on the controversy surrounding the Middleton killing as "cynical.'' Ms Smith's statement was posted on the Middleton webpage last Wednesday -- the same day a glowing review of Bermuda appeared in the travel pages of the Toronto-based Globe and Mail newspaper.

She broke her silence on the Middleton affair more than a week after murder accused Justis Smith walked free from Supreme Court.

Mr. Vigodda said: "It's sad that the Middletons have never received such a statement throughout their entire ordeal, but that we should receive it instead.

"On that basis, we've not received it happily.'' He added: "We have a response from Bermuda's Premier regarding the website.

"But -- unfortunately -- it neither says anything we want to hear or says much at all.

"I wonder when the day will come when they can teach politicians to say something. Some of this statement is just gobbledegook.'' The news came as an interview with Ms Middleton's mother Cindy and a TV spot on the webpage was due to run on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation last night.

Mr. Vigodda said: "We're expecting a major rush on the website after the CBC thing and it will probably be picked up by other broadcasters, in Canada and the US.'' And Mr. Vigodda blasted Mr. Allen's statement on Bermuda TV that the Middleton affair was a "temporary setback'' which could be overcome by a marketing drive.

He said: "That is just so cynical it's beyond me.'' Mr. Vigodda added: "Maybe he thinks he's paid to have this way of thinking.'' He stressed he was not speaking on behalf of the Middleton family and that his views were entirely his own.

Mr. Vigodda said: "It's a brand-new Government and they have had this dumped in their lap, but this is not promising.

"They're looking at it strictly from the point of view of business -- it's so insensitive. They're just not dealing with the issue at all.'' Neither Ms Smith or Mr. Allen could be contacted for comment yesterday.

Editorial: Page 4 Statement provokes backlash Ms Smith's statement said the boycott of Bermuda drive in Canada was "of considerable concern.'' She added she could not comment on the Middleton saga as the decision in the Justis Smith case was to be appealed.

Ms Smith, however, added that she believed there "should be swift justice'' in terms of bringing the appeal to court and pledged to use her "good offices'' to see there was no "undue delay.'' Mr. Vigodda also took aim at the Globe and Mail article by a US-based travel writer singing the praises of Bermuda.

He said: "Money obviously speaks louder to the Globe and Mail than justice.'' The webpage brands the puff piece on the Island as "tactless'' and invites people to e-mail the newspaper to complain.

Volunteers have already e-mailed other Canadian newspapers and magazines which carry travel articles to update them on the Middleton case.

Mr. Vigodda stressed: "We're not leading this thing -- we're just a message board for people.

"And they're telling us they are not going to Bermuda in light of all these things.'' Mr. Vigodda added that volunteers from both the US and UK had signed up to help the website take off in other countries.

The webpage was set up the day after Puisne Judge Vincent Meerabux ruled Smith, now 19, had no case to answer due to lack of evidence.

Only months after Ms Middleton was raped, tortured and knifed to death on Ferry Reach, St. George's in the summer of 1996, Kirk Mundy pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and was jailed for five years.

A later bid to have him re-charged with murder was knocked back all the way to Bermuda's last court of appeal, the Privy Council in London.