Government backbencher and union boss Derrick Burgess last night denied that his dual roles created a conflict of interests after he came under fire from Opposition MPs.

He said as a Progressive Labour Party MP and president of the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU), his role was the same - to look after the interests of the workers.

He said: "I have never had any complaints about it (from union members). There is no conflict. I think myself and fellow MP Ottiwell Simmons are the most qualified people to represent labour through our resumes. And the Party is called the Progressive Labour Party."

In the House of Assembly on Friday, Shadow Works and Engineering Minister Erwin Adderley accused Mr. Burgess of trying to wear two caps at the same time.

And Mr. Adderley said some union members had raised concerns about their leader's twin roles, and which interests he represented.

Referring to garbage collectors, he said some of them felt they had been poorly represented by the union.

He said: "Due to the fact that their leader is a member of the Government, Derrick Burgess, they are concerned about their interests being represented."

And he asked which interests Mr. Burgess represented, the union members or the Government's?

He added: "It cannot be a very pleasant situation for the workers. They are not certain which horse Mr. Derrick Burgess is riding."

And Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkley reiterated the UBP statement. He said: "The point that was trying to be made (By Mr. Adderley) is that Derrick Burgess does not know which hat he is wearing."

But Mr. Burgess disagreed and said he was not the first person to have two roles.

He said: "In 1955-56 his Worshipful L.M. Minty was a (court) judge and president of the Bermuda Public Services Association at the same time, and Sir David Gibbons was Premier and also Finance Minister while also being president of the (Gibbons) bank.

"I don't see it as a conflict of interests. Most of my constituents in the PLP are workers. It helps me to get the message back. Labour needs a voice in Government. I am the voice of labour and I'm going to represent them."

Mr. Burgess found his dual roles overlapping last month when about 1,000 BIU members marched on Parliament to claim they were shown a lack of respect by employers and accused Government that it did not listen to them properly.

As demonstrators directed bitter words at Premier Jennifer Smith over Government's alleged inaction over lingering labour disputes, the Premier claimed she knew nothing about their problems because their leader, Mr. Burgess, had failed to inform her.

But Mr. Burgess refuted the claim, saying: "Nonsense".

He added: "I can't get to you Madam Premier, I can't get to you. Got to go through ten different people to get to you! I can't even call her."