Premier Jennifer Smith's decision to break with tradition and open the Annual Exhibition instead of the Governor has "downgraded" the event, according a former Parks Superintendent who worked the show for more than 30 years.

Meanwhile, there was still no explanation yesterday from the Premier about why she asked Governor Sir John Vereker to stand aside so she could open the Annual Exhibition last Thursday.

A number of people with long connections to the show, formerly known as the Agricultural Exhibition, told The Royal Gazette yesterday that it had traditionally been a non-political occasion opened by the Governor.

Government House confirmed last week that the Premier asked Sir John to step aside this year so she could open the show.

Government's Department of Communication and Information was asked last Friday and yesterday why the Premier wanted to open the show this year, but there was no response.

Fred Pimentel, a former Parks Department superintendent who worked the show for 31 years and and is still involved even though he is retired, said the event had always been non-political.

Other more senior figures associated with the show who asked not to be named speculated the Premier wanted to open the show this election year for political reasons.

Mr. Pimentel said yesterday: "I think it has downgraded the show. It has always been the Governor because it is supposed to be non-political.

"I can't say it is written in concrete, but it has always been my understanding that politicians are not supposed to be involved, and that's why none of the Premiers has opened it for as long as I can remember it.

"It's just more appropriate for the Governor to open it and I know a lot of people commented around the grounds this year that it was a shame that this time the Premier opened it."

A senior figure formerly associated with the show said: "It has always been the Governor's show. Over 100 years ago it was held at Government House and it has always been opened by the Governor and very rarely has the Premier been there (on the opening day).

"The only time I can recall when it was not opened by the Governor was when it was opened by Prince Edward, who obviously has seniority over the Governor.

"It did come as a surprise (this year) because everything has always been done the same way for a long time and people come to expect it.

"There is always the pageantry with the open landau, the horses, the Police escort and the Governor taking the salute from the Regiment. It was a show in itself.

"You can speculate it is a political statement, but I don't really know."

Another figure with long experience of the show said: "It is a break with tradition which they think they are they are trying to do with the Ag Show.

"It is supposedly a different Ag Show, but it is the same. The folk life festival stuff they have had at Camden, we've had that before over the years."