Shadow Environment Minister Cole Simons yesterday slammed Premier Alex Scott?s ?supportive action? to the local retail industry following his visit on board the

Mr. Simons said following the Triminghams/Smith?s ?catastrophe?, it appeared the retail community had banded together in an unprecedented manner by raising in excess of $60,000 to put on the Buy Bermuda Campaign in order to educate the community on the importance to the economy of shopping locally.

?They have worked very hard for this campaign putting together exciting Friday night events and trying to revitalise the streets of Hamilton,? he said, adding that the entire retail community stepped up to plate to fill the space the large liquidation left.

Yet Mr. Cole questioned what reward the retail industry could expect following yesterday?s opening of the

Mr. Simons said: ?The Premier proudly ... welcomed to Bermuda, and he went on to tout that the merchants will be glad of Logos? visit when book sales increase after they leave.

?Is this the type of supportive action that the retail industry should expect from the Scott Government? Is this the way we encourage our residents to support our ? Buy Bermuda Campaign?? I don?t think so,? he said.

He said the Premier, through his comments, told the local book store industry they can expect to receive ?the drippings from Bermuda?s Christmas table? after ?scoops up? a large percentage of the 2005 Christmas book sales, with their dramatically reduced prices.

?I am told that volunteers are allowed to hand out flyers on the streets of Hamilton promoting their ship, surely this cannot be right,? he said.

Mr. Simons questioned whether the retail industry meant so little as an industry to the Government when it appeared they were not prepared to support them during the most important week in Bermuda?s retail calendar?

He said this was a ?slap in the face of retail? and would be a blow felt by all the retailers in this already ?devastating year?.

Mr. Simons added that it was no accident that the was moored on Front Street three days before Christmas, and over the rest of the Christmas season.

?It truly is the beneficiary of a wonderful gift from the Bermuda Government, but who is paying for major portion of this gift?

?Who is making the largest economic contribution to this gift? A contribution which they can ill afford? Bermuda?s retail industry!?