A Minister yesterday blasted The Royal Gazette for an editorial he described as "bordering on the criminal".

Senator David Burch claimed the March 16 comment piece about Ministers' use of Government-issued credit cards was inaccurate and said Gazette editor Bill Zuill was "so intent on discrediting this Government that no facts are allowed to interfere with his chosen stance".

The editorial suggested that there was not enough accountability with regard to Ministers' use of credit cards and questioned what they had spent $150,000 on in less than two years.

It read: "It may be that there are perfectly legitimate reasons for the spending, but if there are, they have not been offered, and knowing this Government, they won't be.

"It is not at all clear what the money has been spent on and whether it applies to legitimate travel expenses or other things. More clarity is needed, even if one is to give the benefit of the doubt to Cabinet Ministers that the spending is legitimate."

Sen. Burch said the issue of Government-issued credit cards had been raised in the House of Assembly previously and the policy regarding them had been clarified. He said the editor should have checked his facts before writing the piece.

He said Ministers could only use the cards when abroad on official Government business and that they did have to provide supporting documentation for charges on monthly statements, except for out-of-pocket expenses such as bus/taxi/limousine travel, parking and gratuities. He said such expenses were provided for with a $150 cash advance prior to travel and that money not spent was returned to the Accountant General.

"What is the saying 'believe half of what you see and none of what you hear'," he said, adding that he had never used a Government credit card.

"In most countries of the world, journalists are expected to report accurately. In Bermuda that responsibility is compounded because their medium is the sole daily print source of information. It is my contention that this level of irresponsibility borders on the criminal."

He said the newspaper could not be trusted and urged those who "want the facts" to turn elsewhere.

Donald A. Scott, the Government's Financial Secretary, has described the editorial as "a blatant and worrying misrepresentation of the facts".

In a letter to this newspaper, he said the Government had a clear policy on the use of credit cards and that Ministers were expected to exercise discretion when using them.

He added: "Expenses charged on credit cards must be for costs associated with accommodation, meals, laundry, dry-cleaning and other official travel expenses. Charges for alcohol are permitted for official entertainment.

"Supporting documentation is required for the charges on monthly statements and Ministers are requested to submit credit card receipts and hotel statements to the accounting officers in their respective Ministries immediately following the conclusion of travel."