Ruling party Senator Walter Roban highlighted Government's efforts at expanding educational opportunities for Bermudians in the Senate yesterday, but was met with a blistering attack from the Opposition United Bermuda Party.

Sen. Roban said during the motion to adjourn that, with initiatives such as the nascent Financial Services Academy, Government was making progress in furthering educational options for locals.

Government had shown its commitment to the "wonderful initiative" by providing $150,000 seed money in the education budget, he said.

But Opposition Senator Leonard Santucci responded by saying that he did not believe anybody in Bermuda cared about the Financial Services Academy, given what he said was Government's failure to "fulfil its commitment in regard to the senior secondary school".

"The notion of a financial services academy when we have mismanaged the senior secondary school almost appears to be the stupidest thing we can consider," Sen. Santucci said.

"When, where and how will this Government, through its charade of transparency, deliver this school by September this year?"

He added that Government was only consistent in passing the buck, and predicted that the school will not be completed by September and probably not by September the following year or the next.

"I do know a little about bricks and mortar and I know enough to tell you this much - you cannot complete this project by September 2004. Children will not enter those sacred halls this September."

Senator Kim Swan weighed in by accusing Government of being derelict when it came to the "very fundamental issue" of accountability.

"We all know that had the Government been far more prudent, it would have been better for Bermuda," he said.

"And there are countless examples of this fiscal indiscipline that had run rampant throughout Bermuda."

He added that he was concerned at "how the national psyche is damaged by statements that are made by key players" and cited statements by Premier Alex Scott that the Works and Engineering department did not require a receipt for every expenditure on a project of Berkeley's magnitude.

"Everyone knows in business if you are paying for something you need a bill, you need a receipt."

Sen. Swan said that the project was now $33 million over budget and there had been no accountability, no regular updates given the size of the project and the considerable controversy surrounding it.

He also dismissed Government's criticism of the Auditor General that he had been far more vigilant over the Berkeley project than he had been with other projects.

"That's what Auditor General has always done and will continue to do. And it's not good enough to have him frustrated in his constitutional role in Bermuda."

He added: "The charade of transparency is damaging to the national psyche and... it's not good enough to spin ourselves out of this problem."