The United Bermuda Party last night accused the Progressive Labour Party of "a desperate pre-election scramble" in announcing its plans to re-open the St. George's Police Station.

The UBP said Public Safety Minister David Burch's announcement the station would open within months after being closed since January came just five days after the UBP pledged to re-open it.

"Yesterday's announcement by Col. Burch also brought into sharp relief the Government's failure to respond to the Old Town's legitimate concerns, and laid bare the fact that its interest was only aroused by pre-election political considerations," the statement said.

"How else to explain the reported telephone call to Works & Engineering to get the station open less than 24 hours after Mr. Kenny Bascome, United Bermuda Party candidate for Constituency 1, publicly committed to open the station after the election?

"Minister Burch's announcement yesterday was nothing more than a pre-election scramble. The fact that he could not answer questions about station's manpower levels also speaks to a government governing by the seat of its pants."

The UBP noted that since the closure of the station, "St. George's residents expressed concern that lack of Police on the streets had resulted in a disturbing rise in criminal activity and vandalism" and that the Canadian Government had advised its citizens to steer clear of the Old Town.

The statement added: "There is also a question of credibility here. In 2002, former Premier, Dame Jennifer Smith, announced her government's plan to renovate the station ¿ something that never happened."