Former Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons spoke out about Government's lack of transparency by telling how staff refused to give him a copy of a press release already distributed to the media.

Speaking in yesterday's Budget debate, Dr. Gibbons said he could see how people get frustrated when Government keep them in the dark. When he asked for a copy of the release — already in the public domain — Dr. Gibbons told the House of Assembly the only response he received was: "No sorry, we can't do that. We simply can't. We can't do it."

Dr. Gibbons added: "Suffice to say, I understand what it means not to be in the Government loop."

He said a similar lack of transparency — the refusal to release figures for Department of Tourism events such as the music festival — made it impossible to judge whether they were good value for money.

Dr. Gibbons, who is Shadow Education Minister, also hit out at the refusal to release information about the building of the new Berkeley Institute and the overspend of tens of millions of dollars. "I don't understand how Government can call that a private matter, Mr. Speaker. It's in fact a disgrace," said Dr. Gibbons.

Government was warned it cannot continue to increase the size of its annual budget and not expect consequences.

The alarm came from former Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert.

Mr. Furbert, speaking on yesterday's budget debate in the House of Assembly, said if Government's budget continued to increase at an average rate of 7.7 percent, in ten years, Bermuda will have a $2.5 billion budget.

While recognising the Progressive Labour Party's desire to spend heavily on social programmes, which some believe was neglected under the UBP Government, Government cannot increase expenditure on everything, said Mr. Furbert.

He said: "The Minister of Finance, not too long ago, (introduced a policy) that seniors don't have to pay licenses on their cars... I'm sure most would jump up and applaud that.

"But with an increase of seniors coming on, someone has to pay taxes, someone is going to have to pay for the outgoing increases that we have.

"I totally support when you have a senior that is in need can be helped out later with license fees. But Mr. Speaker, there are some seniors in Bermuda who are filthy rich – filthy rich."

Mr. Furbert expressed concern with the spirit with some of Government's election promises that provide the public with free services that they normally had to pay for such as free transportation and a free education at the Bermuda College. He continued: "Everybody's free, everybody's been put under the same umbrella. I'm not sure whether that is what we should be doing."

Had the UBP been re-elected it would have sought to reduce the expenditure of the Government, Mr. Furbert added.

"We've got to find something going forward to ensure yes, those that genuinely need help are taken care of, but those that can afford it that they least be able to pay.

"Now were talking about a national debt this year of about roughly $400 million – that means that every person will be roughly responsible for about seven-and-a-half thousand dollars and that's assuming we have 60,000 people.

"With less people in the workforce the burden is much higher, so we don't want to mortgage our future generation."

Meanwhile, Minister of Works and Engineering Derrick Burgess, took issue with the Opposition's previous claims that the international business sector is feeling unwelcomed in Bermuda.

Mr. Burgess said when he was Minister of Labour and Immigration, his Ministry had a good relationship with international business. "I've never heard of such nonsense as I read about 'our threatening attitude toward international business,' we heard the Premier say he meets with them every so often.

"And no one is going to come back to you every so often if your going to come at them in a threatening way."

Additionally, the Minister examined the common complaint that the cost of doing business in Bermuda is too high, attributing it to the Island's small size.

"This is not rocket science, the real estate in Bermuda is very expensive, we don't have that much – we have just over 13,000 acres – that's all we have.

"Six thousand of them are zoned as residential and each day, that real estate becomes really expensive. Any country that is booming like this will have that same problem.

"So no, we cannot compete as far as real estate with let's say, the Cayman Islands, they have much more property than we have, Mr. Speaker."

Mr. Burgess also criticised the claims made by the Opposition that Government isn't making much money off of the Bermuda Music Festival, saying, for some, it's the only form of large-scale entertainment.

"I'm glad Bermudians enjoyed themselves at the festival as well as our visitors. And even if we don't make any money, we are worthy of spending some money on Bermudians.

"With this little Island, some are not able to travel outside the country to see that type of entertainment – and I think that we should treat ourselves at least once a year and I think we need to continue that."

Opposition MP Shawn Crockwell questioned how the Budget would benefit the "average Bermudian".

Mr. Crockwell said the Bermuda Public Services Union march and protest on the Throne Speech revealed the level of disillusionment with Government.

"People are crying out for help," he said.

He also complained about the absence of free public transport initiative in the Budget, saying that it would have provided immediate relief for families; while there should also have been some kind of support for taxi drivers.

PLP backbencher Glenn Blakeney was next to speak, criticising the UBP for not being supportive enough of his party's ideas.

He said that, during a visit to the Island, American presidential contender Senator John McCain had described Bermuda as a model to the world in the way it is run. Mr. Blakeney bemoaned the lack of press coverage this statement had earned. The Opposition pointed out that Sen. McCain is a politician.

Responding to suggestions Bermuda's economy is overheating, Mr. Blakeney said: "I would rather have one that's overheating than one that's lukewarm, or not heated at all."

Donte Hunt of the UBP then stressed the importance of families, many of whom he said were not being helped by the Budget.

"I believe we are living in a deceptive economic situation. We have a big economy, a GDP touted throughout this world, but we have many families that are struggling and are saying: 'Where is the money?' said Mr. Hunt.

Shadow Works Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin responded to Mr. Blakeney's remarks: "We have an obligation to evaluate the Budget as it's been given to us."

She echoed Mr. Crockwell and Mr. Hunt's calls to help struggling families.

Opposition Leader Kim Swan took issue with the wording in the Budget, which he said had not been passionate enough when referring to the 'hurting' of some Bermudians.

"If you walk around the people of this country, if you truly live among the people of this country," said Mr. Swan, "you would not be 'taking a view' that they are hurting. You would know in your heart of hearts, beyond a shadow of doubt, that people are hurting."

He quoted PLP legend Freddie Wade, who while in Opposition had reminded the people of the day to keep their mind on the poor.

Opposition MP Louise Jackson expressed concern last night over the management of the Bermuda Hospitals Board after recent switching of its top post over the years.

Mrs. Jackson was speaking on The Bermuda Hospitals Board Amendment Act 2008, which was successfully passed and changed the title of the BHB Executive Director to Chief Executive, among other things.

She claimed there had been several resignations from the BHB recently, particularly during last summer when Johns Hopkins medical group carried out an extensive report on health care in Bermuda.

"These are some of the questions I'm hoping the Minister (of Health) can answer for me. I'm also concerned about a statement that I read in the Ombudsman's report, that there is a sense of political interference in the BHB. I was very much concerned to read about the group of people who had been meeting to discuss various improvements or changes to the BHB.

"This group was saying things like... the Bermuda Health Council should be done away with," but she was interrupted by Health Minister Nelson Bascome on a point of order who replied, "I don't want to limit the honourable member to the comments she is making, but I do believe her comments will get answers, but at another time.

"I think if she limits tonight to just this matter (The Bermuda Hospitals Board Amendment Act 2008) we can deal with those questions at another time – they're not related to this amendment."