part of a two-day Commonwealth think-tank on good government.

The bill for the overnight stay by as many as 25 Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Commonwealth Secretariat staff -- even at special winter rates -- could run as high as $3,700 for one night's accommodation alone.

It is understood the first day's proceedings were due to have finished by 5.30 to 6 p.m. last night.

Yesterday, Acting Shadow Finance Minister John Barritt slammed the cost of the hotel stay -- especially on the eve a Budget likely to see across-the-board cuts in Government spending.

Mr. Barritt said: "I don't recall the Progressive Labour Party telling us when they announced the retreat that there would be an overnight stay at the Princess at the taxpayers' expense.

"But, of course, that would require being actually transparent.'' And he added: "Perhaps Tourism Minister David Allen is planning to kill two birds with one stone by helping to boost occupancy figures and by informing us of the numbers and cost of the retreat in the Official Gazette on Friday.'' Mr. Barritt stressed he was not against the principle of a think-tank for senior officials and MPs.

But he said: "Quite frankly, while a retreat from time to time may be a good idea, you have to question the need for an overnight stay.

"No-one lives that far from the Princess to make a hotel sleepover imperative.

"More importantly, I don't know how the Finance Minister can justify this on the eve of the next Budget, especially when not so long ago he was calling on Government departments to make cutbacks in their budget demands and some departments, to meet these cutbacks, had to among other things put some jobs and promotions on hold.'' He blasted: "This is hardly leadership by example -- regardless of what special deal they may have been able to obtain. But this is nothing new in the new Bermuda.'' And he took a swing at Government's decision to buy new, oversize, Peugeot cars as Ministerial transport.

Mr. Barritt said: "Maybe the Minister of Finance intends to extend the PLP Government's largesse in the new Budget.

"Bermudians may remember the old US campaign slogan of Franklin D. Roosevelt -- `a chicken in every pot'. In the new Bermuda, will it be a Peugeot in every garage?'' But yesterday a Government spokeswoman defended the idea of top Government figures -- most of whom live within easy travelling distance of the hotel -- spending the night at the Princess.

She said: "It is a special rate they're getting -- because they're starting at eight in the morning, it was deemed effective and more conducive to starting and finishing on time if they stayed the night.

Hotel stay slammed "The Princess has given a special winter rate -- I don't know what it is.'' The spokeswoman added: "I don't know exactly how much it cost -- but it's being done as economically as possible in every respect.'' The brainstorming session for Cabinet Ministers and senior civil servants was set up to give the Island's movers and shakers the chance to discuss issues of common interest -- with the four-strong team from the Commonwealth Secretariat on hand to give advice and guidance.

The meetings -- which started yesterday and continue today -- were designed to cover national objectives, policy co-ordination, public service accountability and the role of the Cabinet Office.

Three Commonwealth Secretariat officials, Dr. William Plowden, Dr.

Bhoendradatt Tewarie, and Dr. Sam Agere, travelled to Bermuda from their London headquarters to run the event.

Also in attendance as a consultant is former Barbados Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Sir Frank Blackman, who has sat on a Bermuda Boundaries Commission in the past.

John Barritt