has given his approval to the Government?s Budget and urged politicians to beware of continuing a war of words regarding the over-budget and overdue completion of the New Berkeley Institute.

Any Government would be pleased with the continuing buoyant economy of Bermuda, said Sen. Oughton, but he warned that money must be identified for expensive capital projects coming down the line, such as the replacement for the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

He praised Government for adopting a policy whereby money is only allocated to projects that are likely to go-ahead in the coming financial year.

But Sen. Oughton warned: ?We have to take note that, down the pipe, there are some very hefty capital projects; the hospital for one, the causeway and a few others, so I think Government are wise in their approach to capital budgets in the current fiscal budget but if they have any other windfalls should look at what they are going to be facing further down the road.?

He commended the Government for setting up a Health Council some ten years after it had first been tabled in Parliament. He said it had ?a lot of potential.?

And Sen. Oughton welcomed the pension increase, although cautioned that for some seniors the extra money would be taken away again through higher hospital insurance costs.

Speaking about the continuing row over the construction of the new Berkeley Institute, he said: ?I hope the day will come not too far down the road where the Berkeley Institute will be a school of learning and not continuously front page news.

?I have some concern for the students who are going to go into the school in September when all these brickbats are being thrown all the time.

?I understand it?s a fabulous facility. But the kids have to get some sort of pride in going in there.?

He said the continuing political row might effect students and their performance, adding: ?I think enough has been said about the fact its over budget and late. It?s time to draw a curtain on that now.?

During the General Economic Debate in the Senate, United Bermuda Party said that, while the economy was booming, there were many Bermudians missing out on the benefits, losing jobs, and homes.

She said Government was wasting money that could be used helping the ?working poor?, such as former residents of the Canadian Hotel who were re-homed at the end of February.

Sen. Spence-Farmer said the economy had created ?haves and have nots?. And on education, she added: ?Our education system over the last few years is not doing enough to educate young Bermudians. If there is a failure rate of 50 percent how do we expect them to participate in the job market??

She also asked for evidence the PLP Government has a vision of housing and pointed out that in the mid-1980s housing crisis 500 new homes were being constructed every year.

She said Bermuda was once recognised all over the world for good leadership and governance, concluding: ?I implore the Government to get back to basics. Years ago houses were built and delivered on time and on budget. Meet the needs of everybody. We must address the effect of a booming economy on low income families.? said the Opposition always appeared to overlook the success stories of the Government, and mentioned the work of the National Training Board as an example of a ?quiet success? and also the recently announced project to see 96 new homes built at the former Loughlands Hotel site for first-time Bermudian buyers that will cost between $450,000 and $500,000 each.

He said Government has shown ?fiscal maturity and transparency in running the economy? and was expanding programmes for the betterment of young people.

Government should be using surplus revenue to pay off debt, according to an independent senator. told the Senate yesterday this year?s Budget had been well received by the public because taxes had not been raised.

But he said the Government would have been better off using some of its surplus funds to pay back borrowed money. ?Sooner or later we are not going to have this surplus,? he said.

He added that the extra money was because Government had, for a number of years, not spent as much as was budgeted for on capital projects.

He said: ?This safety net we have had of putting in the Budget, numbers for capital with a borrowing figure next to it and then not having to borrow because we never spent, that may be coming to an end.

?If we are actually going to spend what we say then debt is going to be an issue. I wish we?d drawn down or paid some debt with the funds we had in the last five years.?

Sen. Hughes also questioned whether it was appropriate to spend $300,000 on a feasibility study for an off-shore fishery.

He said the idea had been explored at length in the 1970s and found to be impractical.

He welcomed the four per cent increase on pensions but said it required a five-and-a-half per cent increase in funding from people still working.

?There is no free lunch, of course. It?s not a handout. Somebody?s got to pay for that.?

Another independent, , said Bermuda?s economy was strong and had seen positive growth.

?We are truly blessed in Bermuda,? Sen. Bassett said. ?Everything we need to be a great nation we have. We simply now need to know how to use it wisely.?

She criticised the Opposition for raising the issue of children going to school with no breakfast in its reply to the Budget. She said the party did not need to wait until it was elected to Government to make changes.

?If you know for a fact that there are young people going to school hungry, no food, unable to listen to their teacher, as a government-in-waiting, do something about it.?

Sen. Bassett concluded: ?Get a few people who are touched by that story and form a group. Get private donations and let?s see some leadership.? had nothing but praise for his Government in his address on this year?s Budget.

He said the PLP had shown itself to be ?fiscally responsible? and had brought much investment into the tourism industry. ?We are caring, we are compassionate, we are full of a lot of common sense,? he said.