Bermuda's final Senate session of the year deteriorated into a political rhetoric free-for-all following motion to adjourn.

Ending on a sour note, senators accused each other of arrogance, rudeness, hypocrisy and engaged in insult slinging in the final 20 minutes of the Upper House sitting.

Freshman UBP Senator Rev. Leonard Santucci started the bickering by challenging the PLP Government's language in debates. Sen. Milton Scott had used the infamous "at your peril" phrase - used by Senator David Burch in another debate last year - during debate of the Historic Wrecks Act earlier in the day.

Sen. Scott suggested the Opposition could vote against the act if they chose, but it was "at your peril".

Sen. Santucci referred to the outcry in the community the last time such language was used and said it was insulting to discuss the problems of the country in such a manner.

He then delivered a scathing report card on the PLP government saying that in the next election the people would react to the Government's arrogance and the rudeness of their behaviour. He accused the Government of hypocrisy and being out of touch with the people. And he said he hoped the country would get the gift of good leadership and sensitivity in the future.

Government Senator Calvin Smith was the first to react to Sen. Santucci's comments, saying he was surprised at Sen. Santucci's comments given his short time in the Senate.

"He's a kindergartener in here but he's grading us, many of us who could be viewed as university graduates," said Sen. Smith.

And he said Sen. Santucci was "arrogant to the `nth' degree" to accuse the Government of arrogance at this stage in his Senate tenure.

Sen. Smith then accused the Opposition of hypocrisy in its criticism of Government travel and Government cars and its refusal to recognise the volume of legislation Government has passed since 1998.

While the Opposition was happy to seize MP Dale Butler's comments on European women's sanitary habits and criticise, Sen. Smith said they chose to ignore more recent comments from Mr. Butler that wall-sitters should be forced to work.

And Sen. Smith said 181 pieces of legislation have been put in place by the PLP Government and while some were amendments there were 37 important pieces of legislation tackled including the thorny issue of Constitutional change.

UBP Sen. Mark Pettingill suggested the handling of Constitutional change was akin to "pickpocketing" the Bermudian people.

Sen. Pettingill said many people did not yet realise they had been robbed.

"This Government ripped them off," he said.

UBP Sen. Kim Swan suggested the PLP will soon find themselves in Opposition when the people have the opportunity to judge their performance during an election.

Sen. David Burch said the Opposition reminded him of the "Tiny Whiny" soca song and their criticisms on Constitutional change are a "whole pile of nonsense".

"The problem with you two," Sen. Burch said to Senators Kim Swan and Rev. Leonard Santucci, "is that you have been learning from the slave master."

And he said a certain amount of what is said between politicians amounts to "politically going back and forth" but some of it is personal and that he took personally.

It reached a personal point yesterday, Sen. Burch said, in the Opposition's position that "whatever comes out of our mouths is a lie".

"The electorate of Bermuda are far more intelligent than you all would characterise them as," said Sen. Burch.

The squabble only came to an end after a few stern words from Independent Senator Jeannette Cannonier.

Sen. Cannonier wished all her colleagues a Merry Christmas and said if she could package gifts for them she would start with "respect - hopefully for one another", common sense "we don't have a lot of that at times" and "a little ladder".

The ladder could be used to rise to the height of being "reasonable politicians", she explained.

Sen. Cannonier said she was disappointed to end a session before the holidays with political bickering.

"I am disappointed to find out people up at this level - considered the Upper House - could show so much disrespect for one another and in doing so, all Bermudians.

"Hopefully by next year, we'll have cooled off," Mrs. Cannonier added.