Derrick Burgess yesterday became the first union leader to be appointed to head the Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety.

Business gave a cautious reaction, however, Mr. Burgess received praise from his opposite number Maxwell Burgess who said there was little to choose between them on crime.

He said: ?I expect a tough line on law and order issues.?

The UBP frontbencher, who has known his namesake for 30 years, echoed the Premier?s comments that the new Minister had widespread experience in both management and labour.

The meteoric rise from the backbenches to one of the top political jobs in Government was not appearing to daunt Derrick Burgess when he spoke to after the swearing in ceremony at Government House.

He said: ?Work doesn?t wear me out, it energises me.? The Minister said he could go back to his customary 6 a.m. starts he did while at the helm of the BIU which he led for ten years before stepping down in March

He said: ?This job fits my background well.?

Tackling the employment tribunal backlog will be one of his key tasks.

He will also have the precedent-setting task of handling exemptions to the six-year work permit term limits policy which kicks in after April 2007.

Hundreds of applications for employees wanting three-year extensions have been filed by companies.

Asked if he would be taking a hard-line, Mr. Burgess said he wanted to see what had already been done by Randy Horton before commenting.

He said he didn?t want to be prejudged by cynics and said Government, unions and employers needed to work together for the good of all.

?I will work for the best interests of the people in the country regardless of who you are. You have to do what?s right.?

Although going through relative peace on the labour front, Mr. Burgess led the BIU during several Island-wide strikes including widespread action days after Hurricane Fabian.

He clashed publicly with first PLP Premier Jennifer Smith over labour matters and was part of the Brown faction which deposed her but has been hankering after a Cabinet post since retiring from union life.

Several observers in the labour movement last night characterised him as a hot-head and firebrand, however, he has also won praise from employers, including Bermuda Hotel Association CEO John Harvey who said in a 2005 interview that Mr. Burgess was not someone with ?outlandish or ridiculous? views.

TUC president Anthony Wolffe said: ?I think to have someone who has some inkling of labour in Bermuda is a great idea.

?There?s a backlog at the department with regards to arbitration hearings and grievances ? some of them date back year. Some of them were probably filed by him.?

He hopes Mr. Burgess will help bring his old union, the BIU, under the TUC umbrella ? which has already been recognised by Government.

Bermuda Employers Council president William DeSilva said Premier Scott noted in his press statement that ?Over the years we have had outstanding businessmen serve as Labour Ministers, and we did not see a problem for labour or the Country.?

Mr. DeSilva said: ?Presumably Premier Scott makes that statement because these outstanding businessmen that he refers to brought fairness, balance and the ability to avoid conflicts of interest in conducting the affairs and matters of this Ministry.

?We are hopeful that Mr. Burgess will likewise employ these same traits during his tenure and look forward to meeting with him in the very near future to pick-up discussions where they have currently been left with Minister Horton.?