Housing Minister Sen. David Burch yesterday accused Opposition Senator Gina Spence-Farmer of behaving in a manner towards squatters at the Club Med dormitory that "bordered on criminal".

And he said if he had his choice she would have been arrested for allegedly helping the squatters to move into the abandoned Government-owned building.

The Senator also appeared to call some of the residents "monsters", telling Sen. Spence-Farmer: "If you ever expect to govern those very same people you have turned into thinking Government will be my mamma, my nanny and change my diapers and do everything for me will be the same monsters that we are having to deal with today."

Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert last night condemned Sen. Burch's comments and called on Premier Dr. Ewart Brown to have a "disciplinary talk"<\p>with him.

The row between the two Senators erupted during the Senate's Motion to Adjourn when Sen. Spence Farmer accused Government of ignoring both the problem of homelessness and the squatters seeking shelter at the old Club Med property in St. George's.

She said: "Who does this Government think they're fooling? The average Bermudian understands. The question is: Do they understand? The deeper question is: Do they care? Because your mouth can say anything but your behaviour can't lie. If you believe Bermudians deserve affordable housing then build it."

Sen. Burch then interrupted his colleague to say: "That Senator continues to impugn the integrity of members of this Government. Criticise us all you like, but do not for one second question people's sincerity because I'm not questioning yours. And sometimes I could."

Sen. Spence-Farmer said: "The great Sen. Burch drove up and down the Country, and the problem was, he didn't get out of the car at the right time. My point is that we cannot continue to sit around this table, not addressing the fact that houses have not been built."

Sen. Burch then responded for several minutes, at times raising his voice.

He accused Sen. Spence-Farmer of inviting people to live at Club Med and facilitating the delivery of furniture to them even though squatting in the Government-owned property is illegal.

He said: "That Senator who last spoke has been totally irresponsible and her conduct in relation to Club Med has been reprehensible! That's what it is, reprehensible!"

Sen. Spence-Farmer interrupted the Housing Minister to claim it was actually the Government who invited squatters into the old Club Med buildings.

She said: "The Government put in writing a letter allowing people to move into that facility."

Sen. Burch denied the claim and then responded with his preference that she be arrested.

He said: "Well my dear, inviting people to deliver furniture and inviting people to move in at Club Med is reprehensible. If I had the power I would have ordered your arrest. Because that's what I thought it bordered on — criminal behaviour. You're trying to help people by helping them break the law."

Sen. Spence-Farmer laughed at the comment. Sen. Burch did not.

The Housing Minister continued on the topic of legality.

He said: "Because let's be honest, not all the people at Club Med are your under privileged and in need of help. Isn't there protectionism going on down there? Isn't somebody collecting rent? Aren't there illegal activities going on at Club Med? Don't you have to play by somebody's rules down there or otherwise you get evicted by the administration that exists? I don't think any Bermudian family should have to be subjected to that kind of behaviour.

"I have my intelligence. That is why we are going to move to prevent and stop the illegal behaviour."

Sen. Burch paused and then redirected his comments to Sen. Spence-Farmer:

"And let me say to the constituency that you have because I know there are people down there that don't want to pay rent or pay their way, but they're prepared to move into an illegal facility and make it like a home. That is total irresponsibility. And to encourage it is reprehensible."

Sen. Burch also said law breakers at Club Med would be dealt with, but didn't explain how.

The boisterous Motion to Adjourn debate on Club Med began when Sen. Kim Swan criticised the Government for ignoring the needs of the people of St. George's. He cited Club Med and the squatters there as one example.

Sen. Swan said: "The Minister (Sen. Burch) has to cause those responsible to come to the table and bring a proper resolution to what is taking place at the Club Med property.

"Because it certainly cannot assist the efforts to attract a business entity to this community if you allow and cause this situation."

Sen. Wayne Caines argued there was a clear record of commitment to St. George's by the current Government, including Club Med.

He said: "The Government is asking them to register for emergency housing to make provisions for them to be taken care of by this Government.

"I'm sure Sen. Spence-Farmer would say, 'This Government needs to listen to people's housing concerns'. Well this Government is listening to people's housing concerns. Right now houses are going up all over this country."

The Ministry of Housing last month outlined plans to break ground on more than 300 homes during the next fiscal year, beginning on April 1.

Last night in a telephone interview Sen. Spence-Farmer said she listened to a recording of the Senate session. She said she was most shocked that her Senate colleague referred to squatters as monsters.

She said: "I don't believe he meant he wanted to lock me up and I don't believe he wanted to call them monsters. He's just frustrated like the rest of us are. His biggest frustration is that they don't have a housing plan. That's got to be frustrating."

In the Senate Chamber earlier Sen. Burch said: "If you ever expect to govern those very same people you have turned into thinking Government will be my mamma, my nanny and change my diapers and do everything for me will be the same monsters that we are having to deal with today.

"Will we help the under-privileged? Will we help those people generally in need? We are."

Sen. Spence-Farmer also said last night that the letter she referred to in the Senate was sent from the Bermuda Housing Corporation and was meant as a follow up to a November, 2006 meeting between Government housing officials and squatters at Club Med.

She said: "The letter didn't say evicted, the letter didn't say get out, or move out. They acknowledged that people were there and advised them to register with the Bermuda Housing Corporation. The problem is no one has been there since November — not the Premier, not Minster Butler, not Minister Burch."

Sen. Spence-Farmer claimed the conditions have deteriorated significantly since November.