Opposition leader Wayne Furbert has branded Premier Ewart Brown’s decision to hire a bodyguard as wasteful, unnecessary and further evidence of empire building.

The Premier was reported as saying on Friday that he travels with protection on overseas trips and now he wants a bodyguard with him when he is here.

The Royal Gazette understands Dr. Brown took a Police officer to the Bahamas earlier this month for a celebrity golf tournament.

But several sources say such security is expensive, superfluous and unprecedented as Bermuda’s Premiers have for years travelled without protection.

On rare trips to countries with a higher threat level, the host country will provide security.

United Bermuda Party leader Wayne Furbert questioned what the new stance will cost the taxpayer.

He told The Royal Gazette: “He’s got a chief of staff, a press secretary — a whole entourage. He is trying to build an empire around him with all the pomp and ceremony.”

Mr. Furbert said he had just returned from an awards ceremony in the States for prominent black people where someone had asked him where his bodyguards were.

“I said ‘What do you need bodyguards for — the only people who need bodyguards are people who have done something wrong and are running for cover. I don’t need any bodyguards’.

“We are a small territory who really doesn’t interfere with people as a country.

“It is absolutely ridiculous to have this whole large entourage walking the streets as if he is some big shot, more than he thinks he is, the taxpayer should not be paying for this type of nonsense.”

Mr. Furbert said he will be asking how much the bodyguard will cost in Parliament. “There is a point in time when enough is enough,” he said.

Mr. Furbert said he knew from his time in Government that visiting officials were supplied with protection when they came here, often more as a courtesy than because there was any real threat. “But to take your own? It is not right.”

Mr. Furbert said PLP Government leaders needed to get a grip on unnecessary spending and any future UBP Government would not be so obsessed with the trappings of power.

“Using taxpayer’s money just because the money is there? It should be controlled better and used more wisely,” he said.

“That type of funding could be used for helping seniors and other things — we are pushing for a seniors’ advocate. It could be spent on that rather than to surround himself.”

Former Premier Alex Scott said he did not have a bodyguard during his years in office.

He said he had used a threat assessment by Police as a yardstick.

“As long as they felt it was either non-existent or at an acceptable level, there was no need for security either here or elsewhere for me,” he said.

He said on foreign trips the host police were warned and, if necessary, they would provide round-the-clock armed security — at their expense.

That happened on every occasion in the Caribbean, believes Mr. Scott, where security and transport were provided 24/7 but he said on trips to the UK and US no security or transport were provided.

Mr. Scott believes a Bermuda-based security officer would be prevented from carrying arms on any overseas trips with the Premier by the host country.

The Royal Gazette understands bodyguards who come here with visiting dignitaries are required to leave their weapons locked up at Bermuda Airport while Police trained in VIP protection handle security matters.

When moving around Bermuda, Mr. Scott said his car GP1 was nearly always driven by a Bermuda Regiment officer.

“On one or two occasions we thought it might be helpful if we asked for someone with a martial arts training to be on hand for any trouble,” he said.

“That was the exception rather than the rule.”

Mr. Scott said he had been happy with his security arrangements — other than the fact his official home was not guarded while he was away, unlike Government House and the US Consul General’s residence.

Last week Police had to deal with a drunk who turned up at Cabinet Office demanding to see Premier Brown. Mr. Scott said he had requested a Police officer be stationed at Cabinet Office. “I understand, ironically, that’s something that happened the day after I left,” he added.

Police and Government have both declined to comment about the Premier’s bodyguard because it was “a security matter”.

Premier took a Police guard on Bahamas trip