The Opposition's call for Government to urgently conduct an economic survey in Bermuda to determine the number of poor people has been branded "electioneering".

The Royal Gazette reported on Tuesday, that Opposition Leader Kim Swan called for the study to determine how many people are struggling financially – but the Premier's office said one is already underway.

Additionally, Mr. Swan accused Government of focusing too much on the racial divide in Bermuda, since its re-election last December, while the economic plight remains unaddressed.

Glenn Jones, Premier Ewart Brown's press secretary, said hundreds of man hours had already been spent on just such an economic study with the final report due to be completed soon.

"I'm surprised Mr. Swan wasn't aware," he said. "I expect the report will be a very useful tool for the Council of Economic Advisors (CEA), which is committed to creating innovative solutions across socio-economic classes."

Government Senator Thaao Dill, during the Senate's motion to adjourn yesterday, said the fact Mr. Swan wasn't aware a study was underway showed he either didn't really care about the issue or he was using it politically.

Mr. Dill said: "The CEA, during the week of October 19, last year, was announced by the Premier.

"And their specific role is to address this very issue that the Opposition Leader called for just (Tuesday) and this council is made up of some of the brightest minds in the western hemisphere – including but not limited to the former chairman and CEO of Black Entertainment Television (BET) – Bob Johnson.

"If you're asking for this study, even though it's currently in the process of being done, under the premise that poor people in this country need more attention, it leads me to two possibilities.

"Either that (Mr. Swan) didn't know (about the survey) because he's wasn't as interested as he professes to be, or he doesn't care what's being done."

UBP Senate Leader Michael Dunkley then interrupted: "I'm not going to allow the gentleman to impugn the motive of the honourable leader of the Opposition."

While emphasising he had no personal issues with Mr. Swan, Sen. Dill continued: "This is really symptomatic of the problems inherent to how we parliamentarians communicate.

"It's adversarial inherently by definition. It's not about the actual work, it's not about actually trying to find out what's being done on behalf of the people, it's about electioneering from day one.

"And that to me is, at best, counterproductive and worst just plain dishonest."

Later, outside of the chamber, Sen. Dill stressed to The Royal Gazette that his comments on Mr. Swan were not a personal attack but mere frustration with the nature of adversarial politics.