Government Senate Leader David Burch yesterday said he was fed up with the "hypocrisy" and "whining" about Caricom by the Opposition.

And in a brief Senate sitting, tempers flared between Sen. Burch and Senate Opposition Leader Kim Swan about the coming debate over the Island's interest to seek associate membership status with Caricom.

During the motion to adjourn, Sen. Burch slammed members of the Senate who questioned why the process to inform the public was slow in coming.

And Sen. Burch said the motion that the Opposition tabled last week seeking a joint bi-partisan committee was part of the hold up of the process.

Sen. Burch claimed that the same group of people who were "whining and complaining" about Caricom were the same people that seemed to be benefiting most from ties to the Caribbean.

Sen. Burch then drew reference to Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons who had ties with local financial institutions which were involved in insurance projects in the Cayman Islands, Bahamas and the US Virgin Islands.

"How can you on one hand wear one of your hats as Opposition and on the other be conducting primary business there?" Sen. Burch asked.

"The Opposition reports that we need to tread lightly on issues regarding Caricom. But the Gibbons mercantile empire is doing daily business in the Caribbean."

Last week Premier Jennifer Smith told The Royal Gazette, that a committee had been set up to focus on Caricom, with Ministers Nelson Bascome and Dr. Ewart Brown as chairman and deputy chairman respectively.

She said: "But what we are waiting for is to find out the exact financial costs of joining Caricom. I'd much rather hold a meeting where we can give an answer, but that is up to the committee. If they want to go out now and hold meetings that is fine, because that is what they are charged with, to educate the community first."

Sen. Burch added yesterday: "We have a committee that is going to go through the whole process. We are not liars - we say what we mean. That's not hiding and ducking and weaving."

But adding further fuel to Sen. Burch's ire was an advertisement posted in this newspaper that caused him to come to the defence of Caricom - once again.

It read: "I am Bermudian I stay free - no, no, no to Caricom." The advertisement was simply said to be from a concerned Bermudian.

And while flailing the advertisement in the Upper House, he maintained his stance saying: "I have been vilified of late.

"Historically people who have discriminated against people from the Caribbean are racist."

But Sen. Swan said he took issue with the fact that Sen. Burch was "impeding improper motives" about the business practices of the Opposition Leader.

And he said he had no intentions of taking issue with the tabled Caricom motion, but instead wanted to warn Sen. Burch about his comments.

"He was trying to impede improper motives against our leader based on his business," said Sen. Swan.

"I can't tolerate that. He was acting in violation of the rules of the Senate. It's Dr. Gibbons today, Mr. Dodwell tomorrow, the next day it's someone else.

"Yes, that's the motion that sits on the order paper, because we want it to be dissected in a bi-partisan way.

"We are all people of integrity. We all want what's best for Bermuda, so let's just get on with the issues."